The Idol, starring The Weeknd and Lily-Rose Depp, cancelled by HBO after one season

Though HBO considered the show to be one of its "most provocative original programmes," the network confirmed on Monday it had "decided not to move forward with a second season". Photo / HBO

The Idol made quite the ruckus online when it first hit screens back in June. Now, it has been announced the controversial show has been axed.

On Monday, it was confirmed by HBO that the series, created by Abel Tesfaye - AKA The Weeknd - and Euphoria’s Sam Levinson will not return for a second season.

“The Idol was one of HBO’s most provocative original programmes, and we’re pleased by the strong audience response,” an HBO spokesperson told People magazine in a statement. “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.”

According to information obtained by People, the decision to cancel the much-talked-about show was only made recently. The creators and producers of the series allegedly did not have a storyline written for a multi-season show, but had a few possible pathways to continue the story after its debut season.

The announcement comes less than two months after The Idol’s finale aired. After the first season’s final episode hit screens, The Weeknd shared his appreciation for the series on social media.

“The finale. Grateful to share this moment with you all as the season comes to an end,” the Blinding Lights singer wrote in the caption. “Continue to push the vision no matter how bumpy the journey.”

Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, Lily-Rose Depp and Sam Levinson attend a red carpet event for their show The Idol during the 76th annual Cannes Film Festival. Photo / Getty Images

He signed off the post with “Jocelyn Forever”, referencing his co-star Lily-Rose Depp’s character and the final episode’s title.

The Idol stirred up controversy in the lead-up to its release, slammed for its graphic sex scenes and gratuitous nudity. Talking about the show at a Cannes Film Festival press conference, Depp defended the series’ depictions, saying: “I think that something about Jocelyn is just that she’s a born-and-bred performer. I think that extends to every aspect of her life, not just her professional life.”

“I think that the way that she dresses, for example, is her trying to tell you something all the time or say something to the people that she’s around, or express herself in some kind of way,” she added. “And I also think that the occasional bareness of the character physically mirrors the bareness that we get to see emotionally in her.”

Levinson also defended the show, saying, “It’s funny - I think that sometimes things that might be revolutionary are taken too far. I think we live in a very sexualised world.”

Abel Tesfaye, better known as "The Weeknd", is a co-creator of and star in the new HBO series, The Idol.

On top of the series’ explicit sex scenes and excessive nudity, The Idol was torn apart by critics for its storylines, with Rolling Stone writing a harsh exposé dubbing the show “torture porn” and the Guardian calling it “one of the worst programmes ever made.” Tesfaye’s own performance was singled out as particularly bad by critics.

Despite the show’s controversial nature and abbreviated season, Da’Vine Joy Randolph - who plays Destiny in the series - told Variety in June: “Everyone’s intention is to have a second season.”

“This was never intended to be a limited series. HBO has been very happy with it — so much so that there were rumours that we were cancelled, and then HBO went on Twitter, which I think they rarely do,” she said. “Nothing is official, but HBO is quite happy.”

Season one of The Idol can be streamed on Neon in New Zealand.