A racy and ambitious BBC drama has been axed after just one booze-filled season – following complaints from viewers about on-screen sex, violence and drugs.

Dope Girls was the Saturday night drama that filled the BBC One slot previously occupied by Peaky Blinders – the similarly gritty thriller starring Oscar winner Cillian Murphy.

But the show failed to fill those big boots, having received a lukewarm response from viewers and critics alike.

While some praised the its high energy, ambition and flair for entertainment, others felt it was punching above its weight, and it was dismissed as messy and chaotic.

The criminal underworld drama dives into London at the end of the First World War and follows a group of women as they tackle the country’s new era and use ‘Soho’s expanding illicit underground clubland scene as their playground,’ according to the synopsis.

It explores the introduction of modern nightlife, ‘guided and gilded by hard-fought female endeavour’.

BBC drama Dope Girls has been axed after just one booze-filled season - following complaints from viewers about on-screen sex, violence and drugs (pictured: Samson Ajewole and Umi Myers)

BBC drama Dope Girls has been axed after just one booze-filled season – following complaints from viewers about on-screen sex, violence and drugs (pictured: Samson Ajewole and Umi Myers) 

But the drama will not be returning for another installment. A TV insider told The Sun: ‘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 said on Monday: ‘Dope Girls was a bold and groundbreaking series – which we are very proud of – but we can confirm that it will not return.’

Starring Julianne Nicholson as the main character, Kate Galloway, other cast members include Eliza Scanlen as Violet Davies and Umi Myers as Billie Cassidy.

At the time of its release, BBC viewers blasted the historic drama as ‘a load of drivel’ and some even abandoned it after just one episode.

They wrote on X: ‘Thoroughly confusing.’; ‘How on Earth did this make it on to primetime BBC1 on a Saturday night.’;

‘Managed 32 minutes of this new drama then called it a day. The new female Peaky Blinders it’s not. Poor lighting, weird camera angles, messy. I tried, but not for me.’;

The criminal underworld drama dives into London at the end of the First World War and follows a group of women as they tackle the country's new era (pictured Eliza Scanlen)

The criminal underworld drama dives into London at the end of the First World War and follows a group of women as they tackle the country’s new era (pictured Eliza Scanlen) 

‘What a lot of abysmal rubbish. Switched over to Netflix.’;

‘Not at all sure what I just watched. Was I meant to make sense of or understand what was going on?’;

‘Sat through the whole lot but I’ve no idea why. In fact I’d be hard pressed to tell you what this gloomy, impossibly shot, totally confusing tripe is about. And I couldn’t be bothered anyway.’;

‘Safe to say I won’t be watching any more of that season’;

‘What a load of drivel.’

However, some viewers did seem to enjoy the news series, and one took to social media and penned: ‘It started a bit all over the place, but it’s well worth a watch, I’ve binged them all this weekend and it was enjoyable – not the best of BBC dramas, but worth watching.’;

‘Absolutely fabulous. I loved everything about it. The strong performances, the filming, the atmosphere. You might guess, I loved it. Looking forward to the next episodes.’

 It comes as another gripping BBC drama could be ‘set to make huge return’, according to reports, one year after the series ended with a big twist.

The drama received mixed reviews online, with some viewers saying they found the plot 'confusing' (pictured: Kate Galloway)

The drama received mixed reviews online, with some viewers saying they found the plot ‘confusing’ (pictured: Kate Galloway) 

Six-part drama Rebus, starring Outlander’s Richard Rankin as the titular character, aired in May last year but there had been no news of a second series until now.

It was a modern update of the hugely popular ITV adaptations, that first hit screens in 2000, starring John Hannah and Ken Stott.

The BBC1 series is billed as a ‘reimagining’ followed the policeman’s exploits in his younger days.

A TV insider told The Sun: ‘Even though the first series did well in the ratings, the fact there was no update on a follow-up had a few devotees wondering if it would happen.

‘After all, these days channels and streamers often announce a second outing before the first has finished airing. No news felt like bad news.’