Overview
- Simon Cowell: The Next Act premieres December 10 on Netflix as part of a promotional rollout now underway.
- Cowell says he was "in pieces" after learning of Liam Payne's October 2024 death, and filming halted for several weeks.
- He considered walking away from the project before meeting the contestants and their parents to offer an option to withdraw.
- By that point more than 1,000 boys had auditioned and the field had been cut to roughly 16, with a support system promised to those continuing.
- The six-episode docuseries blends the band search with personal footage, including scenes with Lauren Silverman, and frames Cowell’s bid to recapture boy-band success with help from veteran producer Pete Waterman.