When Netflix signed an £80 million deal with Prince Harry, executives might have expected plenty of exclusive personal images.
But I can reveal that his new five-part polo documentary series barely features the Duke. Instead, he focuses on his friend Nacho Figueras, a little-known Argentine player.
Last night, a source claimed Netflix bosses were disappointed by how much the final cut focuses on the unknown, saying the streaming giant was expecting “more bang for its buck”.
Through their company Archewell, Harry and his wife Meghan are executive producers of the series, simply titled Polo, which will premiere in December.
But behind the scenes it has been nicknamed ‘the Nacho Show’.
Netflix bosses were left disappointed after Prince Harry’s new five-part polo documentary appeared to barely feature the Duke (pictured: Prince Harry playing Polo in 2023)
The Sussexes (pictured in The Hague on April 17) are executive producers of the series through their company Archewell, however Netflix feels its multimillion-dollar deal with the couple has been a big “nothing burger.”
A source said it was “very nice of Harry to do a favor for his partner (Nacho Figueras, pictured with Elsa Pataky), but Nacho speaks broken English and is simply not mainstream enough to attract the ratings.”
The pair signed a five-year deal in 2020 for several shows, but one Hollywood producer told me, “What Netflix got in return doesn’t seem like much.” People want personal things.
‘Apart from their documentary series, which had the drama of his resignation from the Royal Family, everything else they have produced has been disappointing.
‘Any reasonable person tuning into a polo program made by Prince Harry would expect Harry to take a starring role.
“That it isn’t is hugely disappointing for Netflix. Let’s face it, polo isn’t exactly a mainstream sport, so the attraction would have been watching Harry. Without him, it’s marginal at best.
‘The deal with Netflix expires next year, so the Sussexes need a big hit. This sounds like a great burger.
Another insider said: ‘For a program about a sport of Kings, polo barely features royalty. It’s not Harry’s show, it’s Nacho’s show.
Figueras, 47, has been dubbed “the David Beckham of polo” but a source said: “It’s nice of Harry to do his mate a favor but Nacho speaks poor English and is simply not popular enough to to attract ratings.”
