A&E has canceled plans for a controversial docuseries following members of the Ku Klux Klan.

A few days ago, the network changed the name of the series from "Generation KKK" to "Escaping the KKK: A Documentary Series Exposing Hate in America" in an effort to clarify the mission of the series. The move was a response to backlash on social media, led by "Grey's Anatomy" star Ellen Pompeo.

But now A&E has scrapped the series altogether after learning that some participants were paid for being on the show. In a statement, the network said:

Our goal with this series has always been to expose and combat racism and hatred in all its forms," the network said in a statement. "However, A&E learned last night from the third-party producers who made the documentary 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. 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.

A&E continued:

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. 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 network had been working with the production company This Is Just a Test for over a year and a half, and the eight-episode first season was set to premiere Jan. 10.

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