Amanda Holden suffers blow as controversial Netflix show axed despite storming global charts

Despite a very successful first season, Amanda Holden’s Netflix show has landed on the scrap heap.

In April, Cheat: Unfinished Business arrived on the streaming platform, with Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda, 54, and Celebs Go Dating expert Paul Brunson, 50, as hosts.

The format raised eyebrows before the first episode had even landed, as many were sceptical upon learning participants would be reunited with their cheating exes.

Filmed in Majorca, Spain, eight former couples, who broke up because one was unfaithful, visited a luxury retreat to see if it was possible to work through their differences.

Cheat proved extremely popular with streamers, finding itself in Netflix’s top 10 most-watched shows in 22 countries, including the UK and the US.

Alas, it seems those stats weren’t enough to convince commissioners that a second season was viable.

A source told The Sun that the reality series won’t be back, explaining: ‘Despite Cheat being popular with audiences, Netflix has decided to pursue new show formats.’

A Netflix spokesperson also confirmed: ‘Cheat: Unfinished Business won’t be returning.’

However, this might not be the last we see of Amanda on the service.

‘Bosses love Amanda and are in talks with her on three different show ideas, so it’s likely fans will see a lot more of her on the platform in the future,’ added the insider.

‘Amanda is still very much one of the hardest-working women in showbiz and is booked and busy for the foreseeable future.’

Indeed, there’s no shortage of work for the TV personality, who co-hosts Heart FM’s breakfast show each weekday morning, alongside Jamie Theakston.

Listening figures for the show have soared in recent months, seeing Heart overtake BBC Radio 2 to become the biggest commercial breakfast show in the UK with 4.2million weekly listeners.

On top of that, Amanda is due back for BGT auditions filming in October, as well as a fourth series of her renovation show with comedian Alan Carr, having been shooting in Greece this summer.

And as if all of that isn’t enough, Amanda’s quiz show, The Inner Circle, launches on BBC One in October, with a cash prize on the line for players to take home after testing their general knowledge and strategic thinking.

Relationships expert Paul has also seen a spike in popularity this year, thanks to his We Need To Talk podcast, which has featured celebrity guests such as Tulisa, Maura Higgins, Katie Price, and Cher Lloyd.

Before Cheat launched this spring, the Washington-born star expressed his excitement to be working alongside Amanda so they could dive into ‘all the grey areas of infidelity’ together.

‘To work with Amanda Holden has been a dream of mine, so with her on board, there was no way I could say no,’ he praised.

Amanda was also 100% in, having hailed Cheat as her ‘dream’ job, most likely making its cancellation all the more gutting.

She told the Daily Mail: ‘It is my dream job; if I could have manifested a job… this would have been it. It is the job I have wanted my whole life, and it’s finally happening.

‘A series about second chances and unfinished business. I can’t wait, along with Paul, to meet and help these couples work out whether they can forgive and forget. I’m absolutely thrilled to be part of it.’

Season 1 of Cheat: Unfinished Business is available to stream on Netflix.

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