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TLC, owned by Discovery Communications Inc, did not explain
why it was canceling the show but said in a statement that
"supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children
is our only priority. TLC is faithfully committed to the
children's ongoing comfort and well-being."
June Shannon, the mother of Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson, 9,
on Friday denied a report the previous day on celebrity website
TMZ.com that she was in a relationship with a convicted child
molester. Efforts to contact a lawyer for the man were
unsuccessful.
In a video posted on Facebook, Shannon said she hadn't seen the
man cited by TMZ in a decade. "I would not ever, ever put my
kids in danger," Shannon said.
"That is my past," she added.
Reuters could not independently verify the TMZ report.
"Here Comes Honey Boo Boo," which began airing in 2012, follows
Alana as well as her father and Shannon's three other daughters
in rural McIntyre, Georgia.
The show peaked during its second season averaging about 2.4
million viewers per episode. Viewership had steadily declined to
about 1.4 million average viewers for its fourth season, which
finished in August.
The fifth season had already been completed and it was scheduled
to premiere in January, a TLC source said.
The source, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the
network's plans, said TLC had begun discussions with the family
about providing tutoring or counseling for the children. The
source did not provide more details.
Discovery stock was up 2 percent $36.71.
(Reporting by Eric Kelsey; Editing by Mary Milliken and Jeffrey
Benkoe)
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TLC
cancels reality TV program 'Here Comes Honey Boo Boo'
