When Ricky Gervais decides to speak, he doesn’t hold back—and this time Meghan Markle found herself squarely in his crosshairs. Following the wave of criticism surrounding the second season of the Sussexes’ Netflix venture, Gervais reportedly took a swipe so sharp that it left audiences laughing and Netflix executives quietly panicking.
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The backlash against the Sussexes’ latest streaming content has been building for weeks. Viewers complained that the new season failed to live up to its heavy promotion, with some branding it repetitive, predictable, and out of touch. What was meant to strengthen Meghan and Harry’s reputation in Hollywood instead triggered doubts about whether they could continue to justify their eye-watering deal with the platform. And then came Gervais—ready to pour salt on the wound.
Known for skewering celebrities who take themselves too seriously, the comedian reportedly mocked Meghan’s perceived victimhood and her insistence on always steering the narrative. His punchline, though brutal, drew wild laughter, as many felt he had said out loud what critics had been whispering for months: that Meghan and Harry’s glossy storytelling is beginning to wear thin.
For Netflix, this couldn’t come at a worse time. Insiders claim executives are growing increasingly uneasy about whether the Sussexes can deliver sustainable hits. Their debut projects drew massive curiosity, but the follow-ups have been plagued by declining viewership and scathing reviews. Gervais’s comments only amplified the narrative that the streaming giant may have overpaid for star power that isn’t translating into long-term value.
Supporters of Meghan argue that comedians like Gervais profit from cheap shots and that the backlash is overblown. They insist the couple still has strong global appeal, particularly among audiences eager for fresh takes on social justice, celebrity culture, and the Royal Family. Critics, however, see the situation as proof that the Sussexes are running out of ways to reinvent their story—and that Netflix, once their biggest ally, may be running out of patience.
What makes Gervais’s jab sting even more is his reputation for cutting through celebrity gloss with uncomfortable truths. For Meghan, being on the receiving end of such mockery reinforces a larger image problem: no matter how carefully she crafts her narrative, comedians and critics alike are finding it increasingly easy to poke holes in it.
As season 2 continues to struggle, Netflix is now at a crossroads. Does it double down on the Sussexes and hope their next big project redeems the deal—or does it quietly begin planning an exit strategy? One thing is certain: with Ricky Gervais publicly ridiculing Meghan at the height of the backlash, the couple’s Hollywood experiment has never looked more fragile.