Huge BBC drama axed after just one series after viewers complained about sex, drugs and violence onscreen
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IT was the racy Saturday night drama that stunned viewers with scenes of sex, violence and drug taking at every turn.
There was even hope that the BBC One show might fill the gap left behind by might fill the gap left behind by similarly gritty thriller Peaky Blinders.
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Dope Girls stunned viewers with scenes of sex, violence and drug taking at every turn
Credit: BBC
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The BBC series has now been axed
Credit: BBC
But I can reveal that after its debut series, which got a very lukewarm response, there will be no return for Dope Girls.
A TV insider said: "There was quite a lot of shock among viewers about the content of the show, and critics weren't exactly glowing either.
"Despite that the writers of the drama had left a few storyline strands untied which could have easily led onto a second season.."
A spokesman for the show today said: 'Dope Girls was a bold and groundbreaking series - which we are very proud of - but we can confirm that it will not return.'
Dope Girls was set in the 1920s when women were increasingly gaining their independence following the end of World War One.
That saw many go into the underworld of Soho in London where there was a boom in underground clubs where people would take drugs and have sex freely.
They were considered the original "ladettes" and gained huge notoriety.
Dope Girls had very strong echoes of the story of female 'gangster' Kate Meyrick - except the BBC drama's lead character was Kate Galloway and the corporation insisted any similarities between the two were coincidental.
But the resemblance didn't end with the leading lady.
Her co-stars also had similar names to real life figures from the twenties, and many of the settings were the same, or similar.
Watch the moment The Hit List star wins £10k jackpot for first time in show history with tricky music question
The fact that it was believed by many to be based on a true story of bygone gangland culture had some hoping it might have been the new Peaky.
But as I exclusively revealed earlier this year, a new series of STEVEN KNIGHT's classic is now in the works and is expected to air next year.
Perhaps the Brummie boys have helped seal the fate of the Dope Girls.
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Dope Girls was set in the 1920s when women were increasingly gaining their independence following the end of World War One
Credit: BBC
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The debut debut series received a very lukewarm response
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