Featured Image Credit: HBO
Topics: HBO, Film and TV
Stewart Perrie
HBO has made the difficult decision not to renew The Idol for a second season.
The controversial TV series sparked headlines around the world every week during its five-episode run.
Viewers took issue with the sex scenes, nudity and some of the other themes that were expressed.
The Idol focused on Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp), a pop star who was trying to make a comeback after her mother died and caused her to experience difficult mental health issues.
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She meets Tedros (Abel Tesfaye/The Weeknd) who is a club owner and one hell of a divisive influence on her.
While her team tries to delicately manage her return to stardom, she gets pulled in a dangerous direction while under the spell of her new man.
The end of the first season saw Jocelyn declare her love for Tedros despite only just telling her manager Chaim to get rid of him.
It was a whiplash moment that could have provided more material for a second season.
However, it looks like it's not meant to be.
A spokesperson for HBO said in a statement: "The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programs, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response.
"After much thought and consideration, HBO, as well as the creators and producers have decided not to move forward with a second season.
"We’re grateful to the creators, cast, and crew for their incredible work.”
The Weeknd was forced to speak out after viewers kept calling out his character's bizarre dialogue during one sex scene.
Tedros was seen fully-clothed while ordering Jocelyn, who is naked and wearing a blindfold, to fulfil his sexual fantasies as he watches her from afar.
At one point during their encounter he tells her to ‘f***in’ stretch that tiny, little p****'.
That’s probably enough to make even the ardent fans of the ‘Take My Breath’ singer become slightly queasy.
But Tesfaye said that was the whole point.
“There’s nothing sexy about it,” he explained to GQ.
“However you’re feeling watching that scene, whether it’s discomfort, or you feel gross, or you feel embarrassed for the characters.
"It’s all those emotions adding up to: this guy is in way over his head, this situation is one where he is not supposed to be here.”