Bill Simmons, head of podcast innovation and monetization at Spotify, has voiced his criticism of the cancellation of Harry and Meghan’s $20 million deal with the streaming service, referring to the royal couple as “f****** grifters.”
The decision to drop the couple from Spotify was reportedly due to their alleged failure to produce sufficient content. Meghan’s podcast, Archetypes, was described on Spotify as a platform that challenges and transcends societal labels imposed on women. The show featured guests such as Paris Hilton, Mindy Kaling, Mariah Carey, and Serena Williams.
However, since signing the multi-million dollar deal in 2020, only 12 episodes have been produced, and none have aired for over nine months.
A spokesperson for the couple’s Archewell media company stated that Meghan is currently working on developing more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
During his own podcast, Mr. Simmons expressed his opinion, saying, “The f****** grifters. That’s the podcast we should have launched with them.” He further mentioned having a Zoom conversation with Harry to assist him with a podcast idea, claiming it to be one of his best stories.
In addition to Spotify, Harry and Meghan have signed deals with Netflix, which released a documentary series about them, and Penguin Random House, the publisher of Prince Harry’s upcoming memoir titled “Spare.”
This news comes as Spotify announced its plans to cut 200 jobs this month as part of a strategic shift in its podcast approach.
Prince Harry is currently involved in a legal dispute with the publisher of the Daily Mirror, seeking damages and alleging unlawful methods used to obtain information. Mirror Group Newspapers denies the charges.
