Joy-Anna Duggar's Husband Austin Forsyth Says He 'Took a Lot of Heat' for Not Wanting Son’s Birth Filmed

Mar. 15, 2025

Joy-Anna Duggar and Austin Forsyth.Photo: TLC

Austin Forsythis recalling when he took stand against filmingCounting On.

On the latest episode ofThe Jinger & Jeremy Podcast, Austin, 31, recalled pushing back when it came to filming the birth of his first child, sonGideon, 6, whom he shares with wifeJoy-Anna Duggar Forsyth. (The pair are also parents toEvelyn, 4, and Gunner, 1.)

“I don’t remember us having really big, like, ‘Oh, no, y’all can’t show this or whatever,’ [but] I think we did push back about having Gideon,” he told hostsJinger Duggar VuoloandJeremy Vuolo. “I didn’t want any film crew there. I took a lot of heat for that.”

“It’s not something that, as a single guy, crossed my mind like, ‘One day, I’m going to have to make the decision if I’m going to have the network with cameras in our face,’” he continued.  “There’s a lot you just don’t know how [to handle].”

Austin admitted that appearing on the TLC series — which aired from 2015 to 2021 — didn’t come naturally to him.

Austin Forsyth and Joy-Anna Duggar.TLC

“I didn’t really trust the producers or the camera guys — not that the camera guys really had anything to do with the production,” he shared. “I remember the producer telling me, ‘It used to be so hard getting stuff out of you and you always seemed like we were trying to entrap you or you always would think a long time about your answers and we just wanted something spontaneous.’”

The former reality star — whomarried Joy-Annain 2017 — added, “I don’t know really why I got that [way]. I guess I was thinking if I’m gonna be on camera and this is gonna be out there forever, I really wanna be careful what I say.”

Joy-Anna Duggar, Austin Forsyth and family.Joy Forsyth/Instagram

Joy Forsyth/Instagram

Since the show came to an end, the couple has embraced “a different life” away from the cameras.

“We have three kids and just so much has happened over the last five years,” he said. “It’s like, ‘Wow, I guess we did do that. And someone almost has to bring it up like, how was it being on the show or whatever? I’m like, well, I guess we did do that. Yeah. So it’s kinda weird.”

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Those changes also include a recent move, which Joy-Anna announced onInstagramin September.

“WE ARE MOVING! 🏡” she shared alongside a picture of the family of five. “This is our LAST family picture in our home of almost 5 years!”

“We’re a sweaty mess after moving but this picture starts a new adventure!” she continued. “We are so so excited to see what the next few years hold.”

source: people.com