How to watch The Idol in the UK
The provocative new HBO show is available to watch now, but how do UK audiences tune in?
It's the series that everyone's talking about - and finally The Idol is available to watch.
The new six-part HBO series airs exclusively on Sky here in the UK and comes from the creator of Euphoria, Sam Levinson.
The Idol stars Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye as Tedros and Lily-Rose Depp as Jocelyn, a rising pop star who has to face the challenges of fame as she navigates a relationship with Tesfaye's enigmatic club owner.
It's set against the backdrop of Hollywood and, as well as including a cast of familiar faces, explores exploitation and stardom.
According to the synopsis: "After a nervous breakdown derailed Jocelyn’s last tour, she’s determined to claim her rightful status as the greatest and sexiest pop star in America.
"Her passions are reignited by Tedros, a nightclub impresario with a sordid past. Will her romantic awakening take her to glorious new heights or the deepest and darkest depths of her soul?”
But where you can you stream the new series? Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch The Idol in the UK.
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How to watch The Idol in the UK
While the series airs on HBO Max over in the US, UK viewers needn't worry about missing out on the action after American watchers.
The new series airs exclusively on Sky Atlantic and NOW in the UK and isn't available to stream on any other platform.
The first episode is available to stream on NOW, and it will also air tonight (Monday 5th June) on Sky Atlantic at 9pm – sign up for Sky TV here.
Episodes will then air weekly every Monday, with the season comprising of six episodes and the expected finale release date being Monday 10th July 2023.
The Idol release schedule
The six-part series will air each Monday here in the UK, with episodes being made available to watch on Sky Atlantic and NOW.
The episode release schedule for The Idol is as follows.
- Episode 1 - "Pop Tarts & Rat Tales" - Monday 5th June 2023 (out now)
- Episode 2 - "Double Fantasy" - Monday 12th June 2023
- Episode 3 - "Daybreak" - Monday 19th June 2023
- Episode 4 - Monday 26th June 2023
- Episode 5 - Monday 3rd July 2023
- Episode 6 - Monday 10th July 2o23
What is The Idol about?
The Idol is a music industry drama based in Hollywood, exploring the rise to stardom through the eyes of Jocelyn (Lily-Rose Depp). As she navigates a rebrand after a nervous breakdown, Jocelyn meets mysterious club owner Tedros (Abel Tesfaye) who urges her to unlock parts of her personality in order to thrive in the industry.
The cast not only includes Depp and Tesfaye, but also stars Dan Levy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Rachel Sennott, Troye Sivan, Blackpink's Jennie Ruby Jane and Jane Adams, to name a few.
The series has come with its fair share of controversy after premiering at this year's Festival de Cannes, drawing in a mixed reaction from critics who have heralded it as everything from "Depp's strongest performance to date" to "corrupt".
But the reactions are only part of the drama attached to the show, as The Idol has also had its fair share of behind-the-scenes trouble.
Amy Seimetz was previously on board as director of the series but, in April 2022, exited the project after apparently 80% of the series had finished.
A statement from HBO (via The Hollywood Reporter) said at the time: "The Idol’s creative team continues to build, refine, and evolve their vision for the show and they have aligned on a new creative direction.
"The production will be adjusting its cast and crew accordingly to best serve this new approach to the series."
As recently as March 2023, Rolling Stone alleged that some scenes in the production resemble “rape fantasy” and that the drastic delay in the series being released was caused by Levinson taking over as director and scrapping the nearly-finished $54-75 million project to rewrite and reshoot the whole series.
The Idol is available to watch weekly on Mondays on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK – sign up for Sky TV here.
Looking for something else to watch? Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
