Will A-list celebs save Meghan Markle's show? Expert warns of 'gimmicky' pivot

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry just locked in a fresh, multi-year first-look deal with Netflix, but one celebrity chef says the streamer got lucky with timing, not ratings. 

Speaking to the Daily Express, chef Jameson Stocks (who’s cooked for King Charles) argued that With Love, Meghan only secured a Season 2 because it was filmed immediately after Season 1, before viewership data rolled in.

“If Netflix had predicted the first season’s poor performance, they probably wouldn’t have approved a second,” he said, calling the move a standard cost-saving tactic. 

Stocks didn’t hold back on the metrics either, branding the show’s numbers “embarrassing” and claiming it failed to break into Netflix’s top 300, evidence, he says, of waning star appeal.

Despite the Sussexes’ renewed pact, insiders say the arrangement functions like pay-per-project, with Netflix picking and choosing. 

Meghan’s also prepping a holiday special slated for December, reports suggest it could clash with Princess Kate’s Together at Christmas carol service.

Will the series go beyond Season 2? Stocks is skeptical unless Meghan stacks episodes with A-list guests, though he warned a talk-show pivot risks feeling “gimmicky.” 

His prescription: drop the gloss and show a more human, relatable side. 

“No amount of money can buy a real personality,” he added. “Audiences want authenticity.”

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