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The Playboy Club has been cancelled by NBC, becoming the first axed show of the 2011-12 season.

The show has suffered from poor ratings on Monday nights and mauling from TV critics.

Its most recent episode attracted only 3.2 million viewers and an underwhelming 1.2 in the demo.

Since premiering last month, the drama has also faced intense pressure from The Parents Television Council for its perceived "pornographic material".

The PTC had previously urged NBC to ban the series before the premiere had aired.

The Peacock Network will now air Brian Williams magazine show Rock Centre in its place from October 31. Until then repeats of Maria Bello's Prime Suspect will fill the 10pm slot.

The show's executive producer Chad Hodge previously urged viewers to watch the series before judging it.

"I think there's a perception of the show that's false," he said. "The controversy that's come from both the left and the right is coming from people who have admitted that they haven't seen the show."

The Playboy Club starred Amber Heard, Laura Benanti, Eddie Cibrian and Sean Maher among others.