Even though the term “reality show” is far from accurate when describing most supposedly “unscripted” television, TLC’s latest unscripted offering, Breaking Amish, has been hit with charges that the whole thing is completely bogus. Shockingly, TLC has responded by admitting that “some” of these charges are actually true — unlike, apparently, the show.
According to The Hollywood Reporter’s online Live Feed, TLC has been accused of hiring people for the show who have lived away from their Amish communities for years, yet positioning them as if they’re leaving their communities for the first time. In fact, evidence is surfacing that some of the participants in the show — which follows the supposedly real adventures of a group of young Amish people leaving their traditional communities for the first time to live in New York during their “rumspringa” — have been living outside of Amish society for years, with some having already been married, had children and even gotten divorced since entering mainstream society.
TLC responded in a statement: “There is a lot of information floating around about the group featured on Breaking Amish,’” reads the statement. “Much of it is not true, but some of it is — and is addressed in upcoming episodes.”
Only two of the series’ 10 episodes have aired, although TLC apparently intends to keep Breaking Amish on the air.
