The Willis Family TV show has been cancelled by TLC after its second season. Season two, which premiered on March 15, 2016, ended on April 19th with the episode, “Making Moves,” which is apparently the TV series finale. The reality series followed the musical family of Toby Willis, Brenda Willis, and their 12 children: Jessica, Jeremiah, Jennifer, Jeanette, Jackson, Jedidiah, Jasmine, Juliette, Jamie, Joy-Anna, Jaeger, and Jada.
People reports Toby Willis was arrested Friday, September 9th, on charges of child rape, for an incident alleged to have occurred 12 years ago, in Nashville. The magazine confirmed the show’s cancellation with TLC. Reportedly, the show was cancelled back in May, although news of it only broke in the wake of the arrest.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigations announced the arrest:
NASHVILLE – Special Agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation have arrested and charged an Ashland City man in connection to an ongoing child rape investigation.
At the request of 23rd District Attorney General Ray Crouch, TBI Agents began investigating Toby Nathaniel Willis (DOB 4-29-70) on August 29th. During the course of the investigation, Agents developed information Willis had a sexual encounter approximately 12 years ago with an underage female. The investigation into Willis remains active and ongoing.
Today, TBI Agents arrested the 46-year-old in Greenville, Kentucky, where he travelled in an effort to avoid law enforcement, and charged him with one count of Rape of a Child. At the time of this release, he was being held in the Muhlenberg County Jail without bond on a Fugitive from Justice warrant. He will ultimately face extradition to Cheatham County, where once booked, he will be held in the Cheatham County Jail without bond.
Here is more, from People:
Willis and his family starred on TLC’s The Willis Family, which followed their life as a musical family of 14. Toby, his wife Brenda, and their 12 children first rose to fame when they reached the quarterfinals of season nine of America’s Got Talent.
[…]
The show has aired two seasons on TLC, the last of which ended on April 19. In a statement to PEOPLE the network confirmed that they had canceled the series.
“We are shocked to hear the news,” the network said in a statement.
TLC has removed The Willis Family page from its website.
A source tells PEOPLE that the show was canceled back in May, shortly after their second season aired.
“The family was alerted of the cancellation back in may 2016,” the source said. “The network performed extensive background checks on all the family [members] and found no issues.
“Obviously this is something they were never aware of,” the source added.
What do you think? Did you watch The Willis Family TV series? Had you heard the show was cancelled, back in May?
My prayers are with the entire family
I am stunned,I didn’t see anything of that sort coming!The sad story of Toby losing all is brothers in a horrible car wreck and that lost to his parents!!The entire family seemed such a truly Christain family giving all the credit of thier family to thier Lord and Savior.
I thought all of Tobys family was killed in the accident… But thankfully his parents survive the fire to the van… The Willis family sued and got 100 million that allowed Toby and Brenda not to have to work… Its never mentioned by them the money had to have come from the parents… I’m now wondering why the oldest daughter quit the family…. Then his arrest…. Soon after I’m starting to believe ..this rape “did” happen within his own family… If the child was 9 or 10 back 12 to 14 yrs ago… its not hard to add the numbers… Read more »
I loved the show, their music was fantastic and such a blessing to be able to watch a show that was wholesome and genuine. TV is pathetic these days. I had no ide the show was cancelled.
Loved the show! No idea it was cancelled.
It’s a shame to cancel a wholesome family show. There’s so much junk on TV that it was nice to have The Willis Family on TV to watch.
I love them ,their show and of course their voices! Hopefully another station will see how talented they are and pick them up . As for Toby, isn’t the law ..innocent until proven Guilty? To the family, I support you and keep pushing forward!
I loved The Willis Family Show and think it’s deplorable of TLC to cancel the show because of something the father had done 12 years ago. Let HIM suffer the consequences and leave the children alone to live their lives and not be punished for what they had nothing to do with. Shame on you TLC! Why cancel a good TV program that we enjoy watching and ruin the careers of so many people?!
Hi Lisa, I love the as well. But reading the story above says they cancelled the show in May of this year and Toby was just arrested last Friday. It’s a sad thing indeed.
TLC is very good at playing ignorant. They’ve had so many scandals now, it’s hard to believe they have no knowledge of any of their employees.