Music mogul Simon Cowell is forcefully denying accusations that his new Netflix talent series, The Next Act, is staged or inauthentic. The debate ignited following the premiere of the show, which chronicles the formation of the new boyband December 10.
The seven-member group—Cruz, Danny, Hendrick, John, Josh, Nicolas, and Sean—recently released their debut music video, refueling conversations about their origins on Cowell’s program.
On the popular podcast The Rest Is Entertainment, host Richard Osman challenged the show’s realism. He suggested that Cowell’s legendary skill for crafting narrative might have overshadowed genuine, unplanned moments. Osman pointed to specific scenes where Cowell expressed uncertainty, hinting he likely already knew the outcome.
Cowell’s response was unequivocal. “No, Richard… pinky promise I didn’t. Absolutely didn’t,” the 66-year-old stated. He vowed that every moment captured was real, with no second takes, insisting “what you see is what happened.”
