Meghan Markle suffers major setback as Netflix show fails to make top 300 list
Meghan Markle's venture into streaming with her Netflix programme With Love, Meghan has struggled to leave a lasting impression.
The Duchess of Sussex's aspirations of building a media empire have hit a stumbling block as the show failed to crack the top 300 programmes during the first six months of the year.
The lifestyle programme launched in March but has only accumulated 5.3 million views, securing a rather unremarkable 383rd position on Netflix's viewing rankings.
This performance mirrors that of the BBC's Peaky Blinders second series from 2014, as well as the fourth series of Suits - the legal drama in which Meghan herself appeared back in 2011.
With Love, Meghan features the Duchess demonstrating her cooking and gardening skills, sharing advice and welcoming celebrities such as Mindy Kaling, with Netflix branding the programme as "inspiring" and a innovative approach to lifestyle television, reports the Mirror.
Although it enjoyed a promising launch, rocketing into Netflix's worldwide top 10 on its debut day, later statistics reveal a rapid decline in viewership, worsened by a barrage of harsh critiques.
The Telegraph condemned the programme as an "exercise in narcissism", whilst The Guardian branded it "toe-curlingly unlovable TV", with Rotten Tomatoes awarding it just 36% and IMDb delivering a dismal 3.2 score.
Regardless of the scathing reviews, Netflix has verified that filming for a second series is already in progress. The eagerly awaited follow-up has wrapped production and is scheduled to debut this autumn.
Harry and Meghan clinched a lucrative five-year deal with Netflix in 2020, believed to be worth an impressive $100m (£74.4m). The contract, secured through their production company Archewell, led to the creation of Harry and Meghan – a six-part docuseries that delves into the couple's contentious split from the Royal Family.
Despite its initial success as Netflix's most-watched documentary premiere, the series quickly came under fire and experienced a sharp drop in viewership. Last year's data showed that Meghan's previous television series Suits eclipsed the documentary, boasting nine times more viewing hours.
Meghan's venture into a Netflix-supported lifestyle brand has also faced criticism upon the revelation that her "craft" jam is made an astonishing 2,000 miles away from her home in Montecito.
Originally named American Riviera Orchard, the brand underwent a name change to As Ever due to trademark issues.
Beyond Netflix, Harry and Meghan entered into a $20m podcast agreement with Spotify in 2020. However, this partnership fizzled out after Meghan produced merely 12 episodes of her interview series Archetypes over two years.
Bill Simmons, a top podcasting executive at Spotify, labelled the duo "grifters" following the conclusion of their collaboration.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
25 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
New MasterChef hosts set to take over from scandal-hit Gregg Wallace & John Torode revealed
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SATURDAY Kitchen's Matt Tebbutt is expected to be the new host of MasterChef. And the Sun understands Tebbutt, 51, could be joined by fellow Beeb chef Andi Oliver, 62, who presents Great British Menu. 3 Beeb chef Andi Oliver and Saturday Kitchen's Matt Tebbutt are expected to be the new hosts of MasterChef Credit: BBC 3 They are being lined up following the sackings of John Torode and Gregg Wallace Credit: BBC It would debunk claims that the BBC cooking show is to be fronted by two women after the sacking of Gregg Wallace and John Torode. Tebbutt and Oliver would be part of a 'dream line-up', with columnist and broadcaster Grace Dent on the celebrity version. A source said: 'Matt is seen as a really safe pair of hands by the BBC. He has been in the frame for some time and is now being lined up for MasterChef. 'The BBC are keen to bring Andi Oliver on board too. She has been so popular as host of the Great British Menu. "They're not sure if she can commit at this stage because of her schedule with that show but everyone is hoping they can get her on board.' The source added: 'Everyone loves Andi and she would be perfect for the role in many ways. "She is very talented on her own merit but she would also help bring a more diverse look for the show, which is much needed. 'The last thing the show wants is to be slapped with being 'pale, and stale' by a new generation of food lovers.' Dent, 51, brought in to host the upcoming Celebrity MasterChef with Torode, is expected to remain as the host of the spin-off with Tebbutt Our insider added: 'Grace was brilliant on the celebrity spin-off. John Torode sacked by BBC after being accused of using N-word while singing along to Kanye West song Gold Digger "Nothing is set in stone yet but this is the dream line-up they're hoping for.' Wallace, 60, was sacked after an investigation found 45 out of 38 allegations about his behaviour were substantiated. One was of 'unwelcome physical contact,' and others included 'inappropriate language'. 3 Columnist and broadcaster Grace Dent is set to host the celebrity version of MasterChef Credit: BBC Torode, 59, was told the BBC were not renewing his contract this week. The Sun yesterday revealed he had been accused of using the N-word twice, once when he was allegedly repeating the lyrics to rapper Kanye West's Gold Digger. The other was claimed to have happened during a conversation with a pal on the BBC show's production team. Torode vehemently denies ever using the N-word.
Scottish Sun
25 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Inside Rob Brydon's huge new Traitors-style travel reality show as Gavin and Stacey star reveals major struggle
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WHEN Rob Brydon reached his 60th birthday with two of TV's biggest hits under his belt, he could have easily put his feet up. Instead, the star of Would I Lie To You? and Gavin & Stacey hit the road and is taking a risk by fronting the BBC's new challenge show, Destination X. Sign up for the Entertainment newsletter Sign up 7 Rob Brydon is set to present the BBC's new travel challenge show, Destination X Credit: BBC 7 Brydon says he is excited about the challenge and enjoys how varied his career has become Credit: PA And he relishes the challenge — as it might give him the chance to show he's not just Stacey's Uncle Bryn. Rob, who turned 60 in May, said: 'People always ask me about Gavin & Stacey. Some people know me for Would I Lie To You? But I've never done anything like this. 'Having something new and exciting and different is just a delight. I'm taking a chance on something I haven't done before.' After 18 years as Uncle Bryn and 16 years hosting the BBC quiz show, it's no surprise Rob was keen to get his teeth into something new. His latest project Destination X is a promising cross between The Traitors and Race Across The World, which each command six million viewers. But there was one hitch. Rob is so used to being seated on his quiz show and playing a character on Gavin & Stacey that he had forgotten how he walks as himself. Recalling walking on to the set of Destination X, he said: 'My first scene, I am walking into an airport, and I'm thinking, 'Right, OK, how am I going to be?' 'Because I've got a horrible walk. I walk like an ape. I walk side to side. So I'm thinking, 'Try not to walk like an idiot'. 'It even occurred to me that I won't be sat behind a desk. I had to think, 'How am I going to hold myself?'' Gavin and Stacey's Rob Brydon admits he was 'moved to tears' after getting first glimpse at script for final ever episode But Rob swiftly found his feet on the thrilling new show, which travels the length and breadth of Europe. Destination X introduces a group of travellers to each other at an airport before they are blindfolded and taken on a disorientating helicopter ride. They then board a blacked-out bus that travels to a few hotspots where the travellers take on challenges to try to win clues. 7 Brydon says he had to try and figure out his presenting identity in order to lead the new show Credit: At the end of each episode they are asked one simple question: Where in the world are we? The straightforward premise has helped the show become a huge hit in the US and Belgium. Rob is in charge of the jaunt and has revelled in the role. He said: 'I genuinely love the variety of my career. I like it all. "It's possible some people who act wouldn't be comfortable presenting. 'You would be surprised how many actors wouldn't like it if you told them that they were go- ing to do something with no script. 'But I love all those things. 'Ultimately, having a live audience is my favourite. 'Sometimes with Destination X I would say a funny line and they would laugh and that's an audience. 'I wanted to have the interaction with the players. 'That's something I looked forward to.' Claudia has a lightness of touch. I think she judges it just right. You feel like you're with a really good friend who is allowing you into this world It is perhaps unsurprising that given the similarities of the show to BBC mega-hit Traitors, Rob looked to Claudia Winkleman when he was considering whether to take the job. She has made a huge success of the murder mystery game — and Destination X contains the same elements of strategy and manipulation. Rob said: 'I watched the Belgian version and I thought, with some tweaks, I could see myself in that role. I was intrigued. 'Claudia has a lightness of touch. I think she judges it just right. She doesn't force herself to the front. "She is there as a conduit, as a bridge with the viewer and you feel like you're with a really good friend who is allowing you into this world. "I wanted to be a pleasant way to bring people into the show with a nice comment here and there. 'The Traitors was one of the big reasons I wanted to do Destination X. I could see similarities.' Just like the cast at the heart of The Traitors and Race Across The World, normal folk are the stars. 7 Brydon says he took inspiration from Claudia Winkleman presenting The Traitors Credit: BBC 7 Comic Brydon says he hopes the new show will be a big hit with family viewers Credit: BBC 'Strong characters' Guessing along with the contestants as they gather clues — and red herrings — is irresistible. Rob, who begins the show in a suave pilot's uniform, clearly took to one of the contestants, wisecracking London cabbie Darren. He said: 'Darren mentions his wife — you hear quite a bit about her. "Bless him, he gets quite choked up when he talks about her. He was really missing her. It was genuine. It wasn't forced. Rob added: 'They are all very strong characters. They developed as they went along, the relationships. 'You enjoy seeing people come out of their shell and then the distrust starts. They start saying, 'We're a team'. But that can't last.' At the end of each episode, the players lock themselves in the bus's map room where they have to plant an X on a map to log their guess. In the first episode alone, the hunches vary wildly despite them all being fed the same information. The person whose guess is furthest from the true destination is booted off the bus and sent home. Rob said: 'Throughout the series they'll think they're somewhere and then they'll talk themselves out of it. 'The map room bits were so enjoyable. 'We were round the monitors watching them make the decisions. Certain shows have become valuable to people of a certain age who want their family together. That's what was special about the Gavin & Stacey Xmas special "Doubt would enter their mind. Sometimes it was a tiny amount. 'Someone will have gone out because they were 3km out!' Rob is aware he is stepping out of his comfort zone and might end up with his first flop. But he's hopeful the pure heart of the show will win through and land fans among families. He said: 'You never know with any TV show, with any theatre show, film, how it's going to do. 'You'd have to be detached from reality to now have your fingers crossed and hope that people respond to it. 7 Brydon says he had to learn how to be himself after playing a character on Gavin and Stacey Credit: PA 'For the family' 'You have to have word of mouth. If you hear enough, you might go, 'I'll give it a try'. 'What I love about this show is that it's for the family. I love shows that you can sit and watch, like we watch The Traitors as a family. 'It's the same with Race Across The World. We think, 'Yeah, let's all watch it together'. That's why I'm proud of Would I Lie To You? 'The humour is sharp and clever but you can watch it with your family. 'I hope Destination X becomes appointment viewing for a family and everyone will be chipping in and arguing about it.' Rob, who is a dad of five, added: 'If you're anything like me as a parent, you're desperate for the stuff that can get the kids to watch something with you. 'Those shows have become very valuable to people of a certain age who want their family together. 'The kids get older and everybody is told, 'Oh, they're not going to want to be with you'. 'You think, 'We'll be different'. But sure enough, that happens. 'That's what was special about the Gavin & Stacey Christmas special. "Getting people to all sit down and watch the same show is so hard to do.' It is clear the programme has all the ingredients to become Rob's third hit — and he is already hopeful of a second series or perhaps a celebrity spin-off. But he has one condition for BBC bosses. Rob added with a laugh: 'I've said I'll only do it if we go to Wales.' Barry Island, presumably?
Daily Mirror
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
Netflix series 'so addictive' fans binge watch in one night
Others comment on the mind bending ending A Netflix series dubbed 'so addictive' by fans they tell other viewers that they can easily binge watch it all in just one night. Behind Her Eyes was originally released on the streaming platform back in 2021. It is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Sarah Pinborough. Steve Lightfoot, the writer and showrunner behind such hits as The Punisher, Narcos and Hannibal, adapted it for the screen. The story follows a single mother who enters a world of twisted mind games when she begins an affair with her psychiatrist boss while secretly befriending his mysterious wife. Its cast includes British actor Tom Bateman, along with Eve Hewson, who is the daughter of Bono and went on to star in Netflix's Perfect Couples. One Netflix user on Reddit posted asking for recommendations on a perhaps lesser known title on the platform that they could binge. They said: "Ideally seeking one of those shows where it would take a physical intervention to stop you watching the next episode. Like Severance, or early Lost, or similar. Just something compelling and bingeable that I haven't seen!" An early and popular response was the suggestion for Behind Her Eyes with many claiming it can be binged in just a day. A review of the six-part series claimed: "A masterclass in suspense and mystery: Behind Her Eyes is a thrilling journey that grips you from the first frame to the last. "This Netflix series, adapted from Sarah Pinborough's novel, delivers a narrative that is both seductive and unsettling, proving to be a masterclass in psychological suspense." One fan, sharing their thoughts online said: "I pretty much binge watched most of it in one day. I never really got bored. Each episode was amazing. If you're after a good thriller, this is a must watch." Another agreed: "This show is worth every second. The ending had me gasping, very unpredictable and extraordinary plot, definitely a psychological thriller! I binged watched it all in one day and it's the best-limited series I've seen in a while. "All the characters are just amazing and the plot is unlike anything any of us have ever seen before. This is definitely worth your time, if you're contemplating whether to watch or not, trust me the ending will be worth it!" Many people who have already watched it comment on the show's twist ending. A viewer posting on social media said it left them "messed up for days.' Someone else commented: "Absolutely loved this series! Excellent acting all round, Eve Hewson can do no wrong. I was hooked throughout and the ending was so unexpected, and just perfect." While someone else replied: "A true masterpiece with an ending that defies expectations."
