Jill Duggar reveals how her family’s TV show nearly destroyed her marriage due to her father’s demanding filming requirements.
Jill Duggar, known for her appearances on TLC reality shows such as 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On, recently opened up about the toll that the shows took on her marriage to husband Derick Dillard. In an interview with People, Jill shared that the filming of the shows caused a lot of frustration in their relationship, especially in the early stages where Derick would often have strong opinions about certain aspects of the show.
Despite their initial hesitation, Jill explained that they felt obligated to participate in the show due to their upbringing in the Institute in Basic Life Principles church, which taught children to obey their parents. According to Jill, this caused her to feel like a burden and made it difficult for her to say no to her father Jim Bob’s requests to continue filming. This constant pressure to participate in the show created tension between Jill and Derick, leading to arguments and strain in their marriage.
Jill and Derick both believe that Jim Bob intentionally tried to drive a wedge between them and their marriage. Derick explained that whenever they disagreed with Jim Bob’s opinions on filming, he would say things that were damaging to their relationship. He would question if Derick was leading Jill astray and not being supportive of their marriage. This tactic caused further division between them and made them question the authenticity of their relationship.
Eventually, the arguments became too deep, and Jill felt the need to pick sides. She realized that the show was affecting their marriage and knew they had to either fight together or risk tearing their relationship apart. This realization prompted Jill and Derick to join forces and prioritize their marriage over the show.
In a documentary series called Shiny Happy People, which featured Jill’s family and the IBLP church, she revealed that she and Derick did not receive any payment for their appearances on the TLC reality shows. They claimed to have little to no say in what was featured on the show and were not compensated for their time and effort. Derick mentioned that they had no choice in the fact that millions of people watched their wedding, highlighting the lack of control they had over their own lives and the exposure they were subjected to.
An additional point of contention arose when Jill was forced to be filmed during the birth of her first child. TLC pushed the couple to film the birth, and afterward, Jill asked for financial assistance to cover the expenses. However, the network refused to provide any compensation, stating that they had already paid Jim Bob. This left Jill and Derick feeling undervalued and financially unsupported, adding to their frustrations with the show.
Jill emphasized that throughout her seven and a half years of appearing on the reality shows, she never received any form of payment. This lack of financial compensation, coupled with the lack of control and support from the network, further fueled her dissatisfaction with the show and the toll it took on her life.
In conclusion, Jill Duggar’s marriage to Derick Dillard suffered under the weight of her family’s TLC reality shows. The constant filming and lack of control over their own lives created tension between them and led to arguments and strain in their relationship. Additionally, the lack of financial compensation and support from the network added to their frustrations. However, Jill and Derick made a conscious decision to prioritize their marriage and fight against the negative effects of the show, ultimately joining forces to strengthen their relationship.
