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Season 1 – Simon Cowell: The Next Act

Play trailer Poster for Season 1 – Simon Cowell: The Next Act Dec 2025 Reality Documentary Music Play Trailer Watchlist
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29% Tomatometer 7 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Ratings
Simon Cowell is looking for the next hit boy band, and he's risking it all to find them; will these young singers prove he's still got the Midas touch?
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Simon Cowell: The Next Act — Season 1

Critics Reviews

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Carol Midgley The Times (UK) Dec 12
3/5
I must say I found the auditioning bits boring, and Cowell himself much more interesting. Go to Full Review
Anita Singh Daily Telegraph (UK) Dec 11
1/5
The boys are sweet, talented and keen. But this show isn’t about them. Go to Full Review
Stuart Heritage Guardian Dec 10
1/5
Even though it might be presented as a slice-of-life reality documentary, Simon Cowell: The Next Act is -- wait for it -- The X Factor. It’s literally just another bloody X Factor. Go to Full Review
Stephanie Morgan Common Sense Media Dec 16
2/5
In the end, the series is more interesting not as a music competition, but as a window into Cowell's narcissism and immorality in the pursuit of limitless wealth and fame. Go to Full Review
Barbara Ellen Observer (UK) Dec 15
It becomes a monotonous churn of synthetic peril; which of these mostly interchangeable youths will be chosen to vanquish the all-conquering K-pop and which will be sent home? Go to Full Review
Johnny Loftus Decider Dec 13
We’re gonna stick with Simon Cowell: The Next Act, because now that he’s unveiling the personal side of his life, we want to see where and how that stuff intersects with what he does for a living. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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13th and C @13thandChaos Jan 30 Simon's wife is REALLY annoying. See more Wayne H. @RAAAK Jan 21 ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ it SO GOOD!!!! See more Keren M @kerenm Jan 20 Such a vanity project from a narcissist! This guy is also well-known to engage in rage-bait behavior just so he can be in the news. See more T T @TiarnanT Jan 20 I think the show is poorly written and isnt structured in a way that best fits the intended purpose. It seems all over the place, for example the poor fellas are pressured to perform infront of the likes of Simon and his crew, then if successfully they are given help on how to sing, which means the best talents could go a miss. Also, they are put in meetings with top executives with absolutely no media or business training then slated for not acting how Simon would intend or expect, yet these are young and very immature boys who all need the help in this area. Also, the show is solely focused on feeding Simons ego because he tells himself that he is the brains behind One Direction, yet everyone ,with the video evidence that proves it included, knows that it was Nicole Scherzinger that is to be credited with this. This show is terrible and a farcry off the likes of JYPs A2K See more victor m @Flik619 Jan 14 The bits about the band I really enjoyed like meeting the boys and seeing what they were going through but Simon’s private life I just sped through. It feels odd to say but the wife had a much bigger part than she needed. See more Jack @Santamonicabased Jan 11 First, I should say that I don't think these singing shows work in the Netflix format. The fact that the winners have already been picked by the time the show drops and you can watch all the episodes eliminates the fun and the stakes of the network live shows. That being said, this show is really lame and has a confused concept. Is it a bts look at Simon's life, or is it another singing competition show? The stuff with Simon and is partner feels really fake and staged, and his partner, Lauren, is a terrible actress. In a nutshell, the show presents the idea that Simon is going through an existential crisis and worries that he doesn't still have the Midas touch. There are really no stakes for him in the show -- he's richer than God -- other than his proclamations that he may fail - but the contestants aren't given enough time to really show their stuff. I feel bad for the kids who are so hopeful and talented. The show screwed them. See more Read all reviews
Simon Cowell: The Next Act — Season 1

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Episodes

Episode 1 Aired Dec 10, 2025 Where Have All The Boy Bands Gone? The Simon Needs You campaign debuts to worrying numbers, but momentum picks up in Liverpool where two young men strike a chord with the panel. Details Episode 2 Aired Dec 10, 2025 Lauren urges Simon to relax after a stressful Dublin trip; while a few London singers sparkle, something is missing, until one teen steps up to the mic. Details Episode 3 Aired Dec 10, 2025 Nervous hopefuls wait for a life-changing phone call as Simon struggles with his decision; crushing news forces him to look inside his heart. Details Episode 4 Aired Dec 10, 2025 After the field narrows to 16, the boys arrive in Miami for vocal coaching; their harmonies give Simon goosebumps, but four singers just aren't ready. Details Episode 5 Aired Dec 10, 2025 On The Record A singer gets a warning; the pressure rises as Simon looks for passion and chemistry; can the boys prove their vocal prowess in the studio? Details Episode 6 Aired Dec 10, 2025 Bye Bye Bye As Simon takes a final look at the band, he faces an impossible choice; after his shocking decision, it's time for a label meeting and the future. Details

Season Info

Executive Producer
Simon Cowell, James Gay-Rees, Cassie Bennet
Network
Netflix
Genre
Reality, Documentary, Music
Original Language
British English
Release Date
Dec 10, 2025
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