Simon Cowell comes under fire from Richard Osman and Marina Hyde as they question his ‘inauthentic’ Netflix show, his duty of care to his acts and tell him his new band’s name sounds like a ‘Marxist terrorist organisation’ during tense interview

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Simon Cowell is under fire in his latest interview during the promo blitz for his new Netflix show.

Okay, so you will NOT believe this! Simon Cowell, the absolute genius, has done it again! He’s created a brand new boyband – December 10 is their name, and honestly, they’re already amazing. He searched the entire country for the perfect guys, and the whole thing was filmed! I’ve been glued to the Netflix docuseries, ‘Simon Cowell: The Next Act,’ watching it all unfold. It’s just… incredible to see him build another group from the ground up. I’m already obsessed!

The boyband’s first song came out this week, and Simon has been doing a lot of interviews to get the word out about it.

On the popular podcast, The Rest Is Entertainment, the TV talent show judge – known in the past as ‘Mr Nasty’ – found himself challenged by journalist Marina Hyde and TV producer/novelist Richard Osman.

Marina and Richard didn’t believe Simon’s story about his Netflix series and challenged whether it was real.

Richard wondered if the show’s executive producer being so skilled at shaping stories and knowing what audiences want meant they’d lost some real honesty in the process. He asked if their talent for giving people what they wanted had come at the cost of genuine authenticity.

He admitted the show was surprisingly more captivating and talented than he’d anticipated.

Simon strongly defended his new show, which includes personal footage of his life with his fiancée, Lauren Silverman, and their 11-year-old son, Eric.

He explained that what viewers were seeing was exactly what occurred, with no retakes or edits. He playfully added, ‘Pinky thummy,’ then firmly stated, ‘I didn’t do it.’

Okay, seriously? At the very end of the interview, after Richard had the guts to ask about whether everything was legit, he actually told him his questions were ‘kind of annoying’! I was fuming! How dare he dismiss genuine curiosity like that? It just proved everything I already suspected – he’s hiding something, and he doesn’t want anyone digging too deep. It was such a rude, dismissive thing to say, and honestly, it just made me even more convinced he’s not being truthful!

It’s genuinely authentic – when we have magic acts on Britain’s Got Talent, we honestly have no idea what’s going to happen. It’s frustrating because then people accuse us of it being rigged or that the judges were in on it, but we really don’t know the outcome beforehand!

Marina challenged Simon, questioning if he felt bad about showing the auditions of less skilled contestants, particularly because the show seemed to enjoy making fun of them and allowing judges to be harsh.

Simon explained that’s just how auditions work. He said he’s always found that, at best, only about half of one percent of the people who audition are actually good.

The podcast included questions from listeners and also explored his dedication to protecting the well-being of the many pop stars he’s worked with over the last thirty years.

Simon admitted that despite his best efforts, things didn’t go exactly as planned. However, he pointed out that most of the people who appeared on the show were successful, earning both money and the recognition they were seeking.

Some people are deliberately targeting me, and I can’t change that. Anyone who appears on the show agrees to participate knowing what it involves.

Honestly, it’s just amazing to see how much things have changed. It feels like, over the years, everyone’s finally started talking about looking after each other – really acknowledging that mental health matters and that we all have a responsibility to care for one another. It’s something I’ve been hoping for forever, and it’s so good to finally see it happening!

Marina, a mother of teenagers, asked Simon if he believed the young artists he’s worked with – like those in One Direction and his current group December 10 – truly understand the potential benefits and downsides of being in the spotlight.

“Yes, I do,” he said. “I understand exactly what you mean. At that age, there’s a specific time when opportunities arise, and you really need to seize them.”

Most of these boys were very young, and this opportunity felt like their only real chance – if they didn’t get it now, their future prospects seemed limited.

The three of them shared a laugh over the band’s name, which Simon explained they chose to celebrate the anniversary of their Netflix show’s release.

Marina, laughing, explained that they found it amusing because the name resembled something like a South American Marxist terrorist group.

‘Yeah, well, now you mention it, I wish you hadn’t put that thought in my head,’ Simon admitted. 

‘On December 10th, don’t say it three times in the bathroom mirror,’ Marina quipped. 

The Next Act is available to stream on Netflix now. 

The Rest Is Entertainment is available on Spotify. 

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2025-12-18 15:25