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Will ‘Jill & Jessa: Counting On’ Season 2 Be Delayed Until Jill And Derick’s Return?

By Alycia Ancell
Published on: 09:45 PST, Jul 24, 2016

Fans of TLC’s Jill & Jessa: Counting On were ecstatic to learn back on June 20 that the show had been renewed for a second season. Now though, over a month later, fans are growing impatient to learn when Season 2 of Jill & Jessa: Counting On will actually air. A quick look at TLC’s TV schedule shows Jill & Jessa: Counting On is not currently on the schedule, at least through August 6.

After sponsors started demanding their ads be pulled from any airings of Jill & Jessa: Counting On during Season 1, many started to wonder if there would even be a Season 2 for the show. With oldest brother Josh dragging the Duggar family name through the mud, resulting in the cancellation of the Duggar’s first show 19 Kids and Counting, it seemed unlikely that Jill & Jessa; Counting On would be renewed for a second season. Sponsors wanted nothing to do with the Duggar name, fearing their association with them would cause some to avoid purchasing their brand. The sponsors’ fears were not unfounded. Some anti-Duggar fanatics started Facebook groups and members would boycott any sponsors shown during Jill & Jessa: Counting On.

The future of Jill & Jessa: Counting On was so uncertain, even the family did not know if their show was going to be renewed for Season 2. The family started a social media campaign with the hashtag #BringtheDuggarsBack in a desperate effort to show network executives fans wanted to see the show return.

The announcement of Season 2 of Jill & Jessa: Counting On was also a bit odd. TLC has yet to make any formal announcement that the show has been renewed. In fact, the announcement came as a single sentence at the end of a People article announcing Jinger Duggar’s courtship with Jeremy Vuolo.

“The pair’s courtship will be a big part of the new season of Jill & Jessa: Counting On.”

With such little information to go on, a story released just about a week ago is leading fans to question if the delay on a premiere date is related to Jill and Derick Dillard. Jill and Derick, along with their son, Israel, have been in Central America for the past 10 months completing missionary work. They shared the news on July 16 that they would be returning to the United States in August and would be staying until an unspecified time in the fall.

https://www.facebook.com/countingontlc/posts/1944913752401843

On the first season of Jill & Jessa: Counting On, Jill, Derick, and Israel were barely a part of the show. There were a few episodes where it was clear a camera crew was physically in Central America, but it soon became obvious TLC was not willing to finance a film crew to stay with them in Central America full time. It is unknown whether or not this was solely a financial decision, or if there just wasn’t enough going on in Central America for them to film. The few scenes Jill, Derick, and Israel actually ended up being in were either filmed by the Dillards themselves, or Skype calls with Jill’s siblings.

While the announcement makes it sound like their time in the United States will just be a brief break from their missionary work in Central America, the timing of their return, along with the little information that Jill & Jessa: Counting On will return later this summer, makes it seem as if Jill, Derick, and Israel’s return is meant for the sole purpose of being on the show.

Do you think the Season 2 premiere of Jill & Jessa: Counting On is being held up by the return of Jill, Derick, and Israel? Leave your feedback in the comments below and check back with the Inquisitr for the official premiere date of Season 2 of Counting On.

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