TLC's 'Breaking Amish' to Address Fraud Accusations in Series

2:57 PM PDT 9/20/2012 by Michael O'Connell

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The reality show, which is besting "Honey Boo Boo" in ratings, is being accused of casting individuals long-removed from the Amish and Mennonite communities.

TLC

TLC has another controversy on its hands, and it has nothing to do with Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.

TLC and Discovery Chief Eileen O'Neill on 'Honey Boo Boo': 'Some Things Are Easy to Pick On' (Q&A)

Breaking Amish: TV Review

What Producers Are Paying the Stars of TLC's 'Honey Boo Boo'

The cable network, which specializes in unscripted fare, is coming under fire with accusations that its newest series, Breaking Amish, is a fake.

Q&A: TLC and Discovery Chief Eileen O'Neill on 'Honey Boo Boo': 'Some Things Are Easy to Pick On'

Billed as a fly-on-the-wall look at five Amish and Mennonite people taking a permanent rumspringa in New York City, multiple reports accuse the series of casting individuals who have been out of the their isolated communities for years. Photos culled from Facebook and MySpace pages purport that cast members have actually married, had children and divorced since entering mainstream society.

TLC has responded by suggesting critics watch the series, already earning robust ratings after just two episodes.

"There is a lot of information floating around about the group featured on Breaking Amish," reads a network statement. "Much of it is not true, but some of it is -- and is addressed in upcoming episodes.”

PHOTOS: THR's Reality TV Poll: The 6 Biggest Surprises

Breaking Amish is only two episodes into its 10-episode run. The first two episodes, which have aired Sept. 9 and Sept. 16, have averaged just shy of 3 million viewers. That makes it the most-watched series premiere in three years -- a much stronger performer than fellow freshman Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. (In the adults 18-49 demo, Honey Boo Boo still has an advantage, regularly posting a 1.3 rating over Breaking Amish's 1.1.)

Produced by Hot Snakes Media, Breaking Amish is hardly the first TLC series to be scandalized of late. 2011's All-American Muslim lost advertisers and found itself at the center of a media frenzy, despite pulling comparatively anemic numbers.