The Idol star hints at second season renewal ahead of finale
The series has been plagued by rumours of cancellation, which HBO has denied.
The Idol star Da'Vine Joy Randolph has hinted that the controversial showbiz drama could return for a second season, claiming that broadcaster HBO is "quite happy" with how it has performed.
The series is the brainchild of musician Abel Tesfaye (also known as The Weeknd) and Euphoria creator Sam Levinson, telling the story of a troubled pop star who becomes entangled with a cult leader.
The show began making headlines before its first episode aired, with reports claiming it had become more extreme since Tesfaye and Levinson overhauled an original version by director Amy Seimetz (The Girlfriend Experience).
Indeed, The Idol was hit with scathing reviews and social media backlash when it premiered, with many taking particular issue with the show's intimate scenes.
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Some had expected the high-profile series to be cancelled after one season due to all this controversy, but HBO has since clarified no decision has been made on its future just yet.
Now, Randolph is suggesting it could very well continue.
"I think that everyone’s intention is to have a second season," she told Variety ahead of Monday's finale. "This was never intended to be a limited series. Nothing is official, but HBO is quite happy."
On the major behind-the-scenes shake-up, Randolph added: "This happens all the time. I’ve had things where I’ve been let go because they changed the concept, or they changed the lead person — and then I no longer fit into that show.
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"Being completely transparent, there were no red flags because, to me, that made sense – Abel had a vision that didn’t get executed, he wanted to make sure he really believed in it, he wanted to make sure it’s done how he sees it, so he got Sam on board to do it himself."
The Idol viewers have expressed surprise that the first season consists of only five episodes, citing that it's less than the typical number for an HBO drama series, and that the storyline seemed to have only just started moving forward.
The Idol series finale airs on Sky Atlantic at 2am and 9pm on Monday 3rd July 2023 – sign up for Sky TV here or stream on NOW.
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Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.
