The former ‘Counting On’ and ‘19 Kids and Counting’ star reflected on her reality TV journey during an Instagram Q&A.
The Big Picture
- Jinger Duggar Vuolo from
19 Kids and Counting
discuss missing the show. - In her memoir,
Becoming Free Indeed
she expressed sadness about the cancelation of
Counting On
. - Vuolo cherished the opportunities and connections provided by the show, but was surprised by its lasting success.
Jinger Vuolo (formerly Duggar) has been on 17 Kids and Counting since she was 15 years old. But since the series Counting On was canceled, we have not seen Vuolo on our television screens and many miss the daughter of Jim Bob Duggar and Michelle Duggar. The series 17 Kids and Counting was renamed 18 Kids and Counting and then finally 19 Kids and Counting before the series was canceled due to Josh Duggar becoming a convicted sex offender. While some of the family, including Vuolo, went on to star in Counting On, it has been a while since we’ve seen the Duggar family on television (Counting On was canceled in 2020).
Recently in a Q&A on Instagram, Vuolo was answering questions from her fans when she was asked whether or not she would ever consider returning to reality television. “I loved so many aspects of the show. The crew became like family and it provided so many opportunities for travel and (to) meet so many sweet people,” she wrote in response. But then made it clear that that didn’t mean she was ready to return to television any time soon. “I don’t have any plans to return to TV.” Despite Vuolo seeming resolute about not wanting to return to reality television now, she still has had feelings about the show’s cancelation in the past.
The Estranged Duggar Parents Reunite With Kids Amid Family Tragedy
Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have been estranged from their adult children.
How Does Jinger Feel About ‘Counting On’ Ending?
In her 2023 memoir, Becoming Free IndeedVuolo talked about the cancelation. “So many emotions poured out of me that day. I felt sad,” she wrote. She went on to explain what the show meant to her. “Filming had been a constant in my life since I was around 10 years old. When the show was on break, and the crews didn’t come around for a few months, I missed the energy and excitement of interacting with all the creative people,” the California resident continued. “The producers worked with my family to come up with ideas for episodes. It was fun to think of creative ways to give audiences a glimpse into our day-to-day lives.”
She was, however, shocked that the show went on as long as it did. “In the early years, my family assumed the show would last no more than a season or two. It didn’t seem possible that that many Americans would be interested in a family with our conservative values,” she said. “Yet each year, TLC renewed the show. For most of my life, that wasn’t a burden.” So Vuolo’s decision not to head back to reality TV right now makes sense.
Counting On is available to stream on Discovery+ in the U.S.