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Celebrity

16th Jun 2023

Meghan Markle’s podcast axed as Spotify ends million dollar deal to ‘revamp output’

Clodagh McKeon

It’s down to the couple having “nothing else to say” about the Royal Family

It has been confirmed that Spotify will not renew Meghan Markle’s podcast, Archetypes for a second season as the platform says it is beginning to make changes and revamp its output.

Spotify and the couple released a statement late last night saying it “mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together”.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the royal’s received a $20 million deal with the audio company in 2020 to produce the podcast. However, a source close to the platform said they didn’t meet the productivity needed to merit the spend.

The podcast focuses on “labels that try to hold women back” and featured many famous faces including Meghan’s friend and tennis star, Serena Williams, pop icon Mariah Carey and South African comedian, Trevor Noah.

There were talks about renewing it for another season months ago but, it’s said that the Duchess of Sussex is determined to stream her podcast elsewhere now.

The podcast reached the top of Spotify’s charts in its first week

It’s believed the axing was due to sources revealing Meghan and Harry will no longer sit for interviews or produce any kind of content that discusses the Royal Family as they have “nothing left to say”.

The talent agency that signed Meghan recently, WME, told the WSJ: ‘The team behind Archetypes remain proud of the podcast they created at Spotify.

“Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.”

The MailOnline reported that Spotify are set to lay off 200 staff members which is around two% of their workforce of whom mainly work within their podcast teams.

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