13 Reasons Why renewed for a second season

Selena Gomez's 13 Reasons Why has been officially renewed for a second season.

The singer/actress executive produced author Jay Asher's 2007 bestseller of the same name, about a bullied high school student who takes her own life, for the streaming service Netflix.

The first season of the series premiered in March (17) and the next season will hit TV screens next year (18). Season two of the show will comprise of 13 episodes and they will center on the aftermath of a bullied high school student's death.

13 Reasons Why was met with mixed reviews following its premiere. While some critics praised it for its honest portrayal of suicide, others bashed it for glamorising it.

Netflix bosses previously defended the drama, claiming screenwriters were careful in their approach to the subject of mental health and consulted with medical professionals as they worked on the show. Selena also spoke out in support of the series.

"We stayed very true to the book and that's initially what Jay Asher created, a beautifully tragic, complicated, yet suspenseful story," she said during a WE Day event in California last month (Apr17), "and I think that's what we wanted to do, we wanted to do it justice.

"It (criticism) is gonna come no matter what," she continued. "It (suicide) is not an easy subject to talk about, but I'm very fortunate with how it's doing and I'm overwhelmed, I'm very proud of it."

Selena previously outlined her reasons for making the emotional show in an accompanying Netflix feature, titled Beyond the Reasons, in which she said, "We wanted to do it in a way where it was honest, and we wanted to make something that it (sic) can hopefully help people because suicide should never ever be an option."