Trevor Noah's comment on the British reaction to the appointment of Rishi Sunak as the country's first non-white prime minister attracted the attention of critics Photo: ANDREW KELLY
Spotify agreed about a deal with a comedian accused of calling the UK racist as the streaming giant tries to reboot its podcast programming after its acrimonious split with the Sussexes.
Later this year, Trevor Noah will launch a new weekly podcast with an interview with famous and influential personalities from around the world.
Mr. Noah is best known for his former role as host of the American late-night talk program The Daily Show, which airs on Comedy Central.
He has also hosted the Grammy Awards for the past three years and is a New York Times best-selling author.
Last year, the South African comedian sparked controversy for a parody in which he claimed Rishi's nomination Sunaka as prime minister provoked a racist «backlash».
These comments were widely criticized in the UK. Former chancellor Sajid Javid said Mr. Noah was «simply wrong» while Piers Morgan branded The Daily Show «racist derps».
The comedian later defended his comments, insisting that he did not claim that all Brits were racist, but only «some people».
Spotify's decision to sign a deal with Mr. Noah highlights the Swedish music platform's efforts to breathe new life into its ailing podcast business.< /p>
The company closed a $20m (£17m) podcast deal with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex last week after just one episode.
Spotify's collaboration with The Sussex' Production company Archewell closed after just one season of the Archetypes podcast. Credit: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images.But negotiations for a second series are said to have stalled and the Duchess will reportedly not receive the full amount from the multi-year deal.
A joint statement from Spotify and Archewell, the production business of the royal couple. , said the two sides «mutually agreed to part ways.»
But as a sign of the breakup, one of Spotify's bosses called the Duke and Duchess «fucking scammers.» .
Bill Simmons, Spotify's senior head of podcasting, said on his own show last week, “Fucking scammers. This is the podcast we were supposed to launch with them.
“One night I needed to get drunk and tell a story about the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. This is one of my best stories. Scammers.”
Meghan has faced criticism for her contributions to the podcast, including accusations that she didn't actually talk to some of the guests and instead asked a producer to interview her.
The deal with Mr. Noah, which was announced during a panel discussion with Spotify boss Daniel Ek at the Cannes Lions festival, is the first for the streaming service since Sussex's contract was revealed to have ended.
Spotify spent more. over $1 billion for podcast promotion, but in recent months the company has been forced to wind down its efforts as it continues to suffer huge losses.
The company, which reportedly spent $100 million to sign controversial commentator Joe Rogan, has cut hundreds of jobs and parted ways with Don Ostroff, the chief executive who led her transition to podcasts.
Now it is shrinking. focusing on original programming and instead focusing on bringing creators to the platform and generating more ad revenue.
While Spotify continues to sign high-profile hosts, including the new original Louis Theroux show, analysts expect to sign contracts in on a much smaller scale.
In a statement, Mr. Noah said, «Join Spotify on a fun new adventure where we'll engage in interesting and meaningful conversations with some of the most interesting people in the world.
«We'll also probably solve every problem humanity has ever faced, so you'll definitely want to join us on every issue.»
Julie McNamara, Spotify's head of podcasting, said: «We're excited to partner with Trevor to create an original podcast that seamlessly blends his unique humor, insightful commentary, and unrivaled global interviewing skills.»
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