‘Duck Dynasty’ Ends — The Inside Story On TV Feuds

"Duck Dynasty" is leaving the air after 11 hit seasons — but don't expect family matriarch Phil Robertson to be upset about the news! The Louisiana-based Robertson family shocked viewers by announcing the end of the series in a clip that aired after the premiere of Season 11. "After five years, we’ve decided as a family for this to be the final chapter of the Duck Dynasty series," said Jase Robertson, putting an end to Phil's long-running feud with the network!

The National ENQUIRER revealed in 2014 that Phil was furious over the way that producers manipulated the wildly popular reality show. Sources even claimed that Phil purposely condemned gays in a fiery magazine interview that got the clan patriarch suspended from the A&E series! "Phil's no fool," a source told The ENQUIRER. "He's a college-educated man who heads a multimillion- dollar company, and he's always disliked 'Duck Dynasty!'"

"From the very beginning," said the insider, "Phil has fought tooth and nail with producers who tried to portray his family as something they're not. Phil saw the magazine interview as a chance to reveal his honest feelings. He knew A&E would suspend him. But that's just what he wanted to happen because he's under contract to the show!"

The outspoken duck hunter told a source at the time: "I don't need the money nearly as much as I need to stand up for what I believe in. "I hate 'Duck Dynasty' — and there's no way I'm going back to it!" Robertson triggered a national firestorm when he gave the shocking interview to "GQ" magazine where he blasted gays, adulterers, greedy people, drunkards, male prostitutes and idolaters.

Phil even proclaimed about gays: "Don't deceive yourself — it's not right. They won't inherit the kingdom of God!" The reaction to Robertson's incendiary remarks prompted A&E to suspend him from filming for the indefinite future. But the rest of the clan immediately rallied to his side, issuing a statement saying they "cannot imagine" doing the show without Phil.

"Duck Dynasty" is ending as the most successful reality series in cable TV history, and translates into hundreds of millions of dollars for A&E and a whopping $400 million in sales of merchandise like "Duck Dynasty" clothes, christmas ornaments, albums, books — and even Chia Pets. But Phil, already filthy rich from the invention of the Louisiana bayou clan's popular duck call and other business interests, couldn't care less about the money or the series.

"Phil has always been reluctant to do the show and fought the idea of the family following a script," said the source. "He insisted that the Robertsons be portrayed as they are. He often said, 'Heck, we're rednecks and this is the way we live. We're a close-knit family with traditional values, and I've never wanted to see that changed by scripts on the show.'"

Robertson first crossed swords with A&E producers when bleeps were inserted into the show's soundtrack to make it appear as if the Robertsons were cursing. "We don't curse," Phil raged. "they lied about us. If we're not using profanity, why make it look like we're using profanity?" Phil erupted even more violently when producers asked the family to stop saying "in Jesus' name" while praying. "This is Hollywood hitting the kingdom of God," he fumed. "It's spiritual warfare!"

Phil was so fed up with the TV glitz that he didn't even show up when Barbara Walters booked the family for an interview — and decided to go duck hunting! Meanwhile, in his book, "Happy, Happy, Happy: My Life and Legacy As the Duck Commander," Phil wrote that he was "100 percent convinced that 'Duck Dynasty' would never work."

But the series succeeded because of its real elements, explained a source: "'Duck Dynasty' shows a family with love and religious faith at its heart, and that message has resonated more than anything else on TV today. But the show has to stay real, and Phil knows it. That's why he let it all hang out in the 'GQ' interview. He knew in his heart that a controversy would explode, and either the show would come to an end or the producers would be forced to accept the Robertson family just the way they are."

But even though Phil has put his foot down, fans can still enjoy Uncle Si Robertson on episodes of a new A&E series called "Going Si-Ral." The program features Si — and other Robertson family members — talking about viral videos, online trends, and lots of other things that Phil will now be happy to ignore!