What Happened to ‘Bringing Up Bates’? Why the Show Was Canceled

Bringing Up Bates aired for 10 seasons on UPtv before coming to an end in 2021. However, the cancellation came as quite a shock to fans, as the series had already been renewed for Season 11 at the time the news was announced.

So, what happened to the reality show? Scroll down for a refresh on why the show never returned.

What happened to Bringing Up Bates?

UPtv canceled Bringing Up Bates in January 2022. The network provided a statement to TV Insider and explained that the show would not be returning because they were shifting their programming to a new direction.

“We will not be premiering Bringing Up Bates season 11 on UPtv as planned as we will be focusing our programming in 2022 on movies and a new scripted series to be announced soon,” the statement said.

It continued, “When we premiered Bringing Up Bates, the series was focused on parents with 19 kids who were teenagers and young children. The cameras were there to capture the love, laughs, and big life moments, as the family continued to grow. Thank you to Gil [Bates] and Kelly Jo Bates for welcoming viewers into your family’s home over the past ten seasons. Thank you to the fans who tuned in every Thursday night to be part of the journey. We’re looking forward to continuing to uplift you with our programming in the future.”

When did Bringing Up Bates end?

Season 10 concluded in June 2021. That September, news of the Season 11 renewal was announced, along with a February 10, 2022, premiere date. The cancellation came less than one month before the intended premiere.

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'Bringing Up Bates' Canceled After 10 Seasons at UPtv

It’s likely that the majority of filming for Season 11 had already been completed, as the network already had a synopsis of what was to come. The episodes would’ve featured Nathan Bates’ October 2021 wedding, as well as Katie Bates’ December 2021 nuptials.

At the time of the renewal, Hector Campos, vice president, content strategy and programming at UPtv, said, “Bringing Up Bates continues to outperform its prior seasons in the ratings because the Bates are beloved by our viewers and fans who watch the series weekly and engage with the family on social media. We repeatedly hear from viewers how much they appreciate the Bates family and that they look forward to spending time with their favorite large family each week for an entertaining and uplifting safe haven on television.”

Why was Bringing Up Bates canceled?

Some fans have speculated that there may be another reason for Bringing Up Bates’ cancellation than just programming changes. In November 2021, Carlin Bates posted a quickly-deleted video that had fans accusing the Bates family of racist behavior.

In the clip, which was taken during a game of charades, one family member pretended to hold a gun, and another yelled, “George Floyd!” as their guess to the clue. Carlin deleted the clip and later said she didn’t hear the guess, but it was still saved by social media users and went viral, with the family accused of mocking Floyd’s murder.

UPtv did not address the scandal and has not confirmed whether it was the actual reason for the decision to end the reality show.

UPtv

The Bates’ released a statement about the cancellation. “As the next year begins, our family will be experiencing a lot of new changes. One of the biggest changes for us is that the network will be moving toward producing more scripted family shows and will not be renewing a contract to film new Bringing Up Bates episodes,” they said. “We realize God’s timing is always perfect, and we are looking forward to what the future holds for our own family, as well as the network.”

They continued, “The last 10 seasons of filming with Bringing Up Bates have been an amazing journey for our family. We never expected or aspired to be on TV, but we are forever grateful to UP for all of the friendships we have formed as a result. Filming and opening up our home has been both rewarding and challenging, but there are not enough words we could say to show appreciation for the amazing film crew and all of the staff who have invested so much time into making this show possible. They have become family and have impacted us forever. We are also grateful for all of the encouragement we have received over the years from those who have watched the show and have reached out to message us or pray for us.”

The statement concluded, “Most of all, we are thankful to God for the experiences we’ve shared together as a family and for the lessons we’ve learned along the way. We feel very blessed to have these memories. We look forward to the next chapters of life unfolding before us with lots of new adventures. We promise to keep you updated on our lives in the days ahead and pray that God will richly bless each of you. Our greatest desire is that we would each strive to learn more about God and to grow in His grace.”