Australia follows the US, cancels The Duggars' reality show.

Do we really need life lessons from a family who covered up the sexual assault of their own children?

Foxtel has followed the lead from the US and cancelled The Duggar’s reality show, 19 Kids and Counting.

In the wake of an incestuous sex scandal, reality TV show and ratings darling 19 Kids and Counting has been pulled off air in the US.

And apparently covering up the fact that one of your children sexually abused four others, as well as another little girl, precludes you from fame and fortune in Australia too.

But first, a crash course in all things Duggar, if you need it:

The Duggars are fundamentalist Christians who do not believe in many things, including kissing before marriage, women’s thighs seeing the light of day and (quite evidently) contraception.

Since 2008, the Duggars – parents Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children – have been pin-ups for a devout and wholesome Christian lifestyle.

Last week, it was revealed that the oldest Duggar child, 27-year-old Josh, had sexually molested five under-age girls when he was a teenager. Police reports indicate that four of the victims were his sisters.

And his parents knew about the sexual assaults in 2002. By the time the police were finally contacted in 2006, the statute of limitations had expired so he could not be prosecuted.

Naturally, US cable network TLC made the (probably hard) decision to pull the very popular and highly-rated show from its schedule. (Advertisers retracting their ads from the show may have helped speed that decision up.)

MIA: “How I was sucked into enjoying a reality show about a homophobic, bigoted cult.”

And not long after, the Australian arm of the Foxtel channel has followed suit.

The newest season was due to start next week, but Australian audiences won’t be finding out the gender of the newest “grand-Duggar” and other equally riveting and important information anytime soon.

TLC Australia has pulled all episodes of the show from air. Bravo to them.

“We are deeply saddened and troubled by this heartbreaking situation, and our thoughts and prayers are with the family and victims at this difficult time,” their official statement said.

Because we do not need life lessons from a family who not only failed to protect, but also covered up, the sexual assault of their own children.

The many hardcore fans of the show will likely be disappointed to miss their weekly glimpse into the strange little lives of the just as hardcore Independent Baptists. There are as many online petitions calling for TLC US to completely cancel the show as there are petitions calling for it to be saved.

But it’s not all bad news for those fans. Rumours are rife of TLC spin-off shows, which would exclude Josh, starring the newly married Jessa and the pregnant Jill.

Related: The Duggar girls didn’t include brother Josh in their weddings.

But “Mama June” – mother of child beauty pageant star “Honey Boo Boo” – is not happy with the show only being taken off air. She is threatening to sue TLC if they don’t formally cancel it.

According to the matriarch, “It’s f-cked up”.

She’s got a beef because her own reality show Here Comes Honey Boo Boo was cancelled eight months ago due to allegations she was dating a convicted child molester. (She continues to deny this.)

“I read that the Duggar family said, this happening with their son brought them closer to God and each other,” she told TMZ.

“So they’re saying it’s ok to have family touch time? Hell no.”

And, surprisingly, she has a point.

For more thing Duggar, try these articles:

That time Josh Duggar made an awkward joke about incest on TV.

The one important thing missing from the Duggars’ cover-up.

The 6 most disturbing fan responses to Josh Duggar’s sexual assault confession.

This is the true face of the Duggar family. And it is ugly.

Are you glad the show was booted from Aussie screens?