Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman shared an affectionate moment while watching December 10, his new boyband, perform at the O2 Islington in London on Thursday.
The 66-year-old music executive formed the seven-member group on his Netflix show, The Next Act, hoping to recreate the popularity of One Direction.
Last month, the band December 10 released their single, ‘Run My Way.’ Simon recently showed his support when they visited the capital city during their tour.
The band, made up of Cruz, 19, Danny, 17, Hendrick, 19, John, 17, Josh, 17, Nicolas, 16, and Sean, 19, delivered a lively and exciting show.
The band finished a very successful tour of the UK and Ireland, starting in Glasgow on February 16th and concluding in Dublin on February 22nd.
Their first single didn’t have a strong start, entering the charts at number 72 and selling only 6,300 copies – including physical sales, downloads, and streams – in its first week.
People within the music industry are calling Simon’s new project a complete failure, and it’s even put his position at EMI/Universal in doubt. You can find more details about this story here.
The Netflix project came five years after the closure of his music label, SyCo.
Simon has a proven track record of launching successful musical acts, including One Direction, Little Mix, Susan Boyle, and Westlife. His success is largely thanks to talent shows like ITV’s X Factor and the various ‘Got Talent’ programs.
During the show, Simon was joined by 48-year-old Lauren and several experts from the music industry.
The documentary also features appearances by well-known figures like Savan Kotecha, Kamille, Poo Bear, Pete Waterman, and Robert Stevenson, in addition to the entrepreneur it focuses on.
Critics were harsh, calling the show unoriginal, old-fashioned, and generally uninspired – much like the performer’s hairstyle.
Jon O’Brien of Metro wrote that it’s been four years since The X Factor ended, and over a decade since the show was truly popular. A lot has changed in the music industry since then, and the way pop stars are made now is very different from the typical televised talent competition it once was.
‘Unfortunately, no one seems to have told Simon Cowell.’
Anita Singh of The Telegraph described Simon Cowell’s new show as disappointing, with her headline reading, ‘Simon Cowell’s comeback series is as flat as his hairdo.’
She noted that Netflix tried to recreate the appeal of shows like X Factor, but this new series feels old-fashioned and unoriginal.
The Guardian’s Stuart Heritage described the doc as ‘the billionth take on his one idea’.
Meanwhile Grazia’s Nikki Peach said : ‘The toxic 2010s called, they want Simon Cowell back.’
A little later in the series, it’s clear that Simon has lost influence and isn’t as important as he once was. He’s nearing 70 and feels a need to prove to himself – and especially to his young son – that he’s still capable and relevant. And there’s the reason behind his actions.
The documentary ‘Simon Cowell: The Next Act’ feels like a self-promotional effort, and it’s been made with a large budget. It focuses as much on Cowell’s own career as it does on the search for a new successful boyband. He’s always been known for his sharp and memorable comments.
In a review for The Review Geek, Greg Wheeler described the show as an outdated and self-indulgent attempt to recapture past glory. He noted that, with Simon Cowell as an executive producer, the show heavily emphasizes his success and importance.
The documentary explores Simon Cowell’s history, his collaborations with various artists, and his deep passion for the music industry.
‘For obvious reasons, it sidesteps a lot of the allegations thrown his way from said artists.
The show feels a bit old-fashioned, even though it avoids many typical reality TV gimmicks. While Simon Cowell occasionally uses his usual phrases, it lacks the artificial drama created by things like long pauses, forced applause, or manufactured suspense.
‘Removing them helps, but it doesn’t modernise the bones of a creaking format.’
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2026-02-20 01:10