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Spotify executive Bill Simmons has accused Prince Harry and Meghan Markle of being “cheaters.”
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Spotify’s head of podcast innovation commented on the podcast.
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Simmons’ criticism came a day after it was announced that the Sussexes and Spotify had parted ways.
Spotify executives called Prince Harry and Meghan Markle “scammers” just 24 hours after it was announced that the Sussexes and the streaming platform had parted ways.
Bill Simmons, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, criticized Meghan Markle and Prince Harry on Friday’s episode of his podcast “The Ringer.” About 19 minutes into the show, Simmons guest Joe House describes the host as “the one who does a lot of business dealings.”
“Really? I wish I had been part of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s negotiations to leave Spotify,” Simmons replied. “Fucking grifters. That’s a podcast I should have started with them.”
Simmons then recounted a time when he once called the Duke of Sussex. “I got drunk one night and had to tell Harry about the Zoom I used to help with an idea for a podcast. Grifters.”
A representative for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not immediately respond to an insider’s request for comment outside of normal business hours.
Simmons’ comments come after Spotify announced on Thursday that Season 2 of Meghan Markle’s podcast “Archetypes” would not be renewed.
The couple’s production companies, Archwell Productions and Spotify, said in a joint statement, “We have both agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we have produced together.”
A representative for Archwell Audio told Insider that podcasts will no longer be produced by Spotify as the two sides have parted ways. It’s still unclear if there are plans to continue producing the show on another platform.
The Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that the Sussexes will not receive the full $20 million from their deal with Spotify. The New York Post reported, citing unnamed sources, that Archwell didn’t produce enough content to qualify for the full payment.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a deal with Spotify at the end of 2020, shortly after they decided to step back from royal duties, sharing their desire to be “financially independent.”
In addition to the partnership with Spotify, the Sussexes also reportedly signed a deal worth $100 million with Netflix in September 2020.
The podcast “Archetypes” is the only project Archewell Audio has completed for Spotify, according to the magazine, but it’s unclear how many other projects were planned for distribution.
“Archetypes” debuted in August 2022 and topped Spotify’s charts in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand. It has also won awards such as her People’s Choice Award for 2022.
Across 12 episodes featuring high-profile guests such as Serena Williams, Mariah Carey and Paris Hilton, Meghan spoke and set goals to dismantle the labels that hold women back.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry aren’t the only big-name celebrities to end their relationship with Spotify recently. In April 2022, Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s production company, Higher Ground, also parted ways with the streaming platform.
Read the original article on Insider
