Meghan Markle Dubbed A 'Sub-Oprah' By PR Expert As New Netflix Cooking Show Wraps Up
Meghan Markle is trying to be the next Oprah Winfrey and Martha Stewart as she gears up to "relaunch" herself as a lifestyle guru, a PR expert has suggested.
The Duchess of Sussex recently wrapped filming her Netflix cooking and lifestyle show, with an unnamed Hollywood insider telling the Daily Beast that "it all went well and it is in the can."
Speaking to the outlet, PR consultant Mark Borkowski said it remains to be seen whether or not Markle will find success in her new role as a "sub-Martha Stewart" or "sub-Oprah."
However, Borkowski suggested he's optimistic about Markle's rebrand and upcoming show considering she's being represented by top Hollywood talent agency WME.
"I suspect it won't be a car crash," the PR expert said of Markle's Netflix show. "There is too much riding on it and she is being repped by the most powerful talent agency in the world, who will have gathered the right people around her."
"If she has listened and learned and is comfortable in this new role as a kind of sub-Martha Stewart, sub-Oprah, this could be a relaunch to something new and interesting," he added. "If it is another fail, it will be more difficult, because she will have to pivot to yet another new direction."
Read also: Meghan Markle Blasted For 'Hypocrisy': Shows 'Empathy' For Others But Ignores Estranged Dad
But even if her show doesn't become a hit, the fact that interest in Markle remains high four years after she and Prince Harry left the royal family means she'll likely get another chance to rebrand if she wants to try again, according to Borkowski.
"The bottom line is that whatever Meghan Markle does will always generate massive interest," Borkowski said. "She brings eyeballs and that means there is a long line of people who would still want to align with her. She will always attract somebody who will want to leverage her brand."
News that Markle was filming a cooking show broke in March, shortly after she launched her luxury lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard with a website and promo video.
The following month, a statement on the Sussexes' website confirmed that Markle was working on a show that "will celebrate the joys of cooking & gardening, entertaining, and friendship."
According to the New York Post, American Riviera Orchard products, such as its line of jams, are expected to appear on the show.
Markle's show is part of the multi-year overall deal she and Prince Harry signed with Netflix in 2020.
The Susssexes and Netflix have not yet announced an official release date.
