Jill Duggar’s husband is clearly on a mission … and that mission sure looks like a scorched earth campaign to ruin his in-laws.
Derick Dillard has revealed, one day after another, that divisions within the family are deeper than fans previously thought.
Over the weekend, Double-D went nuclear in his ongoing vendetta against the family and network that made him famous.
It remains unclear how Jim Bob Duggar and TLC will respond to this assault from Jill’s husband, but this much is clear:
No matter what happens, you can rest assured that things will never be the same between them from this point forward.
And based on his remarks, it seems Derick is perfectly okay with that fact. You don’t burn bridges like this by mistake.
Below, we recap the developments in this increasingly bizarre feud, in which he pulls zero punches and minces no words.
To hear Derick describe it, TLC exploits Josh Duggar’s victims week in and week out in the name of a quick buck.
Derick on the Warpath
Derick Dillard is at war with Jim Bob Duggar and TLC. And now, he’s leveling accusations that are likely to leave both of his opponents very upset.
A Very Dillard Christmas
It all started just after Christmas, when Derick candidly answered some fan questions about how he and Jill had spent their holidays.
Opting Out
To the surprise of many, Jill and Derick did not participate in the annual holiday festivities at the Duggar compound in Tontitown.
International Man of Christmassy
Derick confirmed their absence by revealing on Instagram that he, Jill, and the kids stayed home and broke bread with some “international friends,” whatever that means.
Playing Coy
Asked if Jill ever stops by her parents’ crib, Derick vaguely responded that he and his wife are “not on 19 Kids and Counting anymore.”
Nice Try
This, of course, is a total non-answer, as 19 Kids and Counting isn’t even a show anymore. The Duggars currently star on a spinoff entitled Counting On.
No Argument Here
Derick acknowledged this difference but claimed that it’s a mere formality. He insists that Counting On is just a re-titled version of 19 Kids … and he has a point.
Bad Blood
It makes sense, of course, that Derick would feel some antipathy toward the Counting On execs.
Rightfully Kicked to the Curb
After all, it’s been over two years since he was fired from the show for making bigoted comments on social media.
Reason To Be Hopeful?
But some fans think it’s high time Derick was given a second chance. After all, Jill recently reappeared on the show in the episode in which Jessa Duggar gave birth to daughter Ivy.
The Comeback Grownups
And let’s not forget that there was a time when Jim Bob and Michelle’s involvement in Counting On was described by the network as “limited.” These days, they’re the stars of the show.
Fair Point
“JB and Michelle [Duggar] have worked their way back on, so Jill and [her] fam should be able to also,” one fan wrote on Derick’s page this week.
The Mad Ranter
“Yes, [JB and Michelle did] because it’s their show,” Derick replied. “We’ve only made guest appearances over the years for [a] wedding, birth, etc. We’ve never had any contact with TLC, hence not knowing there was a contract. Nobody from TLC has even mentioned to us what they would prefer that we say or not say.”
Dropping Hints
“There are just more things we are aware of now. The truth will always set you free,” Derick replied at the time, suggesting that he would soon reveal more on the topic.
About Time
Now, Derick is finally ready to speak his truth. And he’s addressing a matter that the Duggars have been carefully avoiding for the better part of a decade.
A Future Without Josh
As you probably recall, 19 Kids was canceled as a result of the Josh Duggar sex scandals. It later returned with a different title and one less cast member. Josh was fired from the show and has not appeared on camera since.
Shady Tactics?
Derick explained that when the show returned, several family members — including Josh’s victims — were made to feel that they had no choice but to participate.
A Very Serious Accusation
“We were pressured to think that we were required to and that we would get sued if we didn’t,” Derick claimed. “It’s not going to look good for TLC when it’s exposed that they pressured an abuse victim to continue filming when we tried to quit, just so they could continue with Jill and Jessa: Counting On after 19 [Kids and Counting.]“
A Shocking Scandal
Jill Dillard, of course, was one of the four Duggar sisters who was molested by Josh while she was still a child.
Nefarious Practices
The spinoff was originally titled Jill & Jessa: Counting On, and Derick is now suggesting that that was a tactic used by TLC in order to assure Josh’s most high-profile victims that they would be in charge of the show.
Taking Advantage
These days, Derick is in law school, but he says that at the time the spinoff was announced, he and Jill were naive enough to believe everything that TLC told them.
Feeling the Pressure
“The show title has nothing to do with whose show it is or who owns/controls the contract. And I wasn’t in law school at that time,” Derick replied to a skeptical fan.
Predatory Tendencies
“I hope you guys expose the truth. That’s abuse to not let you guys quit unless you wanted to be sued. You guys should stay away from the family and filming,” another fan remarked.
Still Getting Away With It
“I don’t know how Jinger and her husband stay on the show. They seem pretty smart as well to let this happen,” the fan continued, in reference to the Vuolos.
Repeating the Process
“If it’s the same way it was for us, the others may be pressured into submission with threats of lawsuits, too deep into it/dependent or something else like that to speak up,” Derick suggested.
Awaiting a Response
Obviously, we have no way of knowing if Derick is being entirely truthful here, but one thing is for certain — his latest allegation demands a response from TLC.