TLC cancels ‘Here Comes Honey Boo Boo’ series

Screenshot from YouTube

NEW YORK—The TLC network on Friday cancelled its colorful series about child beauty pageant contestant Honey Boo Boo and her Georgia family.

The network had already completed filming of another season of “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” and was set to begin airing it at the end of this year.

TLC wouldn’t publicly cite a reason for the cancellation, but it said in a statement that “supporting the health and welfare of these remarkable children is our only priority. TLC is faithfully committed to the childrens’ ongoing comfort and well-being.”

The cancellation came after published reports that June Shannon was dating a man with a criminal past.

June Shannon posted what she called a “truth video” on the Alana Thompson (Honey Boo Boo) fan page Friday morning denying the allegations. In the video, Shannon said she learned from TLC on Friday that the show would no longer be produced, adding that TLC had told her to be “hush-hush” about the situation.

“The statement of me dating a sex offender is totally untrue. Pumpkin (the nickname for the man she is reported to have dated) has openly said that I did not date him,” Shannon said in the nearly three-minute video which had more than 5,800 “likes” and more than 1,100 “shares” from the page’s 1.1 million fans within two hours after it was posted.

“I would not ever, ever, ever put my kids in danger. … That is my past. I have not seen that person in 10 years.

The series’ star was Alana “Honey Boo Boo” Thompson, one of four daughters of June Shannon from rural McIntyre, Georgia. “Honey Boo Boo” earned her own series after attracting attention in the TLC show “Toddlers & Tiaras,” and is known for coining catchphrases like “a dolla makes me holla.” She’s 9 years old.

“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” was such a fast hit for TLC that two years ago, the network ordered Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas specials surrounding the family. Viewership has fallen off sharply since then, but it still averaged 1.5 million viewers for its most recent season this summer and remains one of TLC’s most popular shows.

TLC is discussing ways to support the children following the cancellation, such as providing tutoring or counselling, said an executive at the network who spoke on condition of anonymity because the network didn’t want to publicly discuss those plans.