Despite efforts to rebrand its new eight-hour documentary series on the Ku Klux Klan, A&E has decided to cancel the series, citing a violation of policy and suggesting producers paid Klan members to be on the show.



According to a Variety report, A&E said it learned Friday evening that "cash payments — which we currently understand to be nominal — were made in the field to some participants in order to facilitate access."

"While we stand behind the intent of the series and the seriousness of the content, these payments are a direct violation of A&E’s policies and practices for a documentary," the network said in a statement reported by Variety.

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"We had previously provided assurances to the public and to our core partners – including the Anti-Defamation League and Color of Change – that no payment was made to hate group members, and we believed that to be the case at the time. We have now decided not to move forward with airing this project," the statement continued.

The network has been doing damage control after widespread criticism over the show.

On Friday night, A&E announced it would change the name of the series from "Generation KKK" to "Escaping the KKK: A Documentary Series Exposing Hate in America." It also had announced more involvement with civil rights groups to focus on ways to end hate in America.

"Grey's Anatomy" actress Ellen Pompeo earlier this week called for a boycott of the network over the series, tweeting: “So I guess A&E stands for ...we will try to put Anything and Everything on tv... because we are a bunch of desperate pathetic tv execs." The show had also been the subject of petitions calling for its cancellation.

The documentary was scheduled to begin airing Jan. 10.