Weather Latest NewsNext Article »updated 8:55 AM EST 12.28.13A&E lifts Phil Robertson's suspensionBy Brian Stelter, CNN SHARE THIS Phil Robertson returns to 'Duck Dynasty' A A A (resize font) (CNN) - Little more than a week after it suspended "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson for incendiary remarks about homosexuality, the cable channel A&E said Friday that it would include him in future tapings of the reality television show, effectively lifting the suspension amid a flurry of petitions in support of Robertson. "After discussions with the Robertson family, as well as consulting with numerous advocacy groups, A&E has decided to resume filming Duck Dynasty later this spring with the entire Robertson family," the channel said in a statement. Robertson's official page on Facebook, which is followed by over 2 million people, said in a new post on Friday afternoon: "We love our fans! Thank you so much for all of your support and love and prayers!" In an apparent gesture to the advocacy groups, A&E said that it would "also use this moment" to broadcast public service announcements "promoting unity, tolerance and acceptance among all people." The announcement came nine days after A&E originally suspended Robertson. At the time, A&E said it was placing Robertson "under hiatus from filming indefinitely" due to the cast member's controversial comments to a GQ magazine interviewer. When the interviewer asked Robertson what he thought was sinful, he replied, "Start with homosexual behavior and just morph out from there. Bestiality, sleeping around with this woman and that woman and that woman and those men." Robertson used language that his family later described as "coarse." At one point he remarked that "it seems like, to me, a vagina -- as a man -- would be more desirable than a man's anus. That's just me. I'm just thinking: There's more there! She's got more to offer. I mean, come on, dudes!" Furthermore, Robertson said that when he was growing up in Louisiana in the pre-civil rights era, "I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person. Not once." He continued, "Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I'm with the blacks, because we're white trash. We're going across the field ... They're singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, 'I tell you what: These doggone white people' -- not a word! Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues." 1 2 3 CNN Home Full Article SHARE THIS Email »  You Might Like Still out there and growing -- al Qaeda on the rebound, experts say (CNN ) NYPD searches for suspect in attack on woman walking with daughter (CNN ) Road & Track's 2013 Performance Car of the Year (Road & Track) Southwest Ranch Cheeseburgers Recipe(Kraft Recipes) Eva Green Battles Her Demons in SHOWTIME's Highly-Anticipated New Series (Sneak Peek!)(Penny Dreadful Production Blog) 20 Must See Restaurants in the U.S. (Zagat) Drink It Up in Portland, Oregon(Expedia Viewfinder) WWF & Coca-Cola's Alliance Is Getting Results(WWF) [What's this?] Related Videos    A&E lifts suspension on 'Duck Dynasty' star  Did A&E go too far with suspension?  Hill: Reversal is 'morally reprehensible' Show Comments  SEARCH About us | Full Site | Feedback  © 2013 Cable News Network, Inc.  A Time Warner Company.  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. × CNNCNN Interactive Group, Inc.FREE - In Google Play VIEW