Insiders reveal that Spotify has made the decision not to renew Meghan Markle’s podcast, “Archetypes,” for a second season.
As part of a company-wide overhaul of its podcasting business, Spotify has opted not to bring back Markle’s podcast, which delves into the historical and cultural stereotypes surrounding women.
Markle, alongside Prince Harry, co-founded Archewell Audio, the company that released the first season consisting of twelve episodes between August and November 2022.
Described by Spotify as “a podcast where we investigate, dissect, and challenge the labels that seek to hinder women,” the show featured notable guests such as Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, the First Lady of Canada, Mariah Carey discussing the complexities of being labeled a “diva,” and Serena Williams addressing the double standards faced by ambitious women.
Following their decision to step back from their roles in the British royal family in December 2020, the couple signed a lucrative $20 million deal with Spotify, although reports suggest they haven’t fulfilled all the criteria to receive the full payout. Despite the initial success of “Archetypes,” which achieved high chart rankings during its early episodes, a second season was never officially confirmed by Spotify.
In recent news, Spotify’s recent workforce reduction, involving a 6% layoff, may have played a role in the cancellation of the podcast, according to insider sources.
Despite challenges in monetizing its podcasting sector and a shift away from exclusive streaming agreements, Spotify is likely to maintain its partnerships with prominent podcast hosts like Joe Rogan and Emma Chamberlain, as reported by The Wall Street Journal.
The production team behind “Archetypes” remains proud of their work, as stated by a representative from WME, the talent agency that recently signed Markle. The representative also mentioned that Meghan is actively developing new content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.
Markle and Prince Harry’s multi-year deal with Netflix includes the documentary series “Harry & Meghan,” which chronicles their transition from the royal family to California. However, the couple faced challenges when Markle’s animated series “Pearl” was shelved due to mixed reviews from critics in both the UK and the US. Nevertheless, their upcoming series titled “The Heart of Invictus” is set to be released this summer, according to Newsweek.