Simon Cowell: The Next Act Unveiled — Release Date, Cast, Plot, and Everything We Know So Far

Simon Cowell is doing something a little different this time: stepping in front of the camera for a more personal experiment. The new docu-series 'Simon Cowell: The Next Act' follows him as he tries to build a brand-new boy band from scratch, minus the judges desk and the giant talent show machine. It is familiar territory for him, but the access is clearly deeper, messier, and more 'how the sausage gets made' than his previous shows.

When and how to watch

'Simon Cowell: The Next Act' hits Netflix on December 10, 2025. It is a six-episode season, tight enough to binge in a day if you feel like going full Cowell.

As for access, you just need Netflix. Current plan options: Standard with Ads at $7.99/month, Standard (no ads) at $17.99/month, and Premium at $24.99/month if you want 4K and more screens to share.

The setup

This is Cowell going back to the well in a very hands-on way. No panel. No buzzer. The series tracks him through open auditions, chemistry tests, and the trial-and-error grind of figuring out who actually works together as a group. You see the false starts, the recalibrations, and the occasional lightning-in-a-bottle moment.

'Oh no, this isn't working.'

That vibe shows up a lot, and the show leans into it. The industry has changed since the days of Pop Idol and The X Factor, and the series is basically Cowell trying to prove he can still read the room and build a global act in 2025. Given his track record with One Direction, Little Mix, and Fifth Harmony (via Syco), he is not exactly starting from zero — but he is also not pretending it is easy now.

Who is in it

• Simon Cowell at the center, doing the actual building of the group
• Lauren Silverman, bringing a personal, steady presence around Simon
• Pete Waterman, the veteran producer and longtime Cowell collaborator, back to help shape the sound and the talent
• A rotating mix of industry voices and creatives — M.F. Bernier (Marlo Bernier), Jo Bonney, Matthew Hancock, Eden Lane, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Rebecca Root, Jack Wetherall, and more — popping in to mentor, advise, and keep the process moving

Why this feels different (and a little niche)

The access looks more unfiltered than what you would get on a competition series, and the guest lineup is not just music execs and pop producers. It is a wider creative brain trust, which is a surprising choice for a boy-band build and could make the backstage mechanics more grounded than glossy.

Bottom line: it is Simon Cowell trying to conjure the next big group in a modern landscape, with the cameras rolling on the wins, the misfires, and everything in between. Premieres December 10 on Netflix. Six episodes. Bring snacks.