The Gentlemen Season 2 suffers major viewership drop

Netflix’s The Gentlemen Season 2 has suffered a notable decline in viewership compared with the debut of its first season, despite renewed attention surrounding reports that Meghan Markle could join the hit crime drama.

According to figures reported by Deadline on Friday, the first episode of the second season attracted around 3 million viewers in the UK during its first week following its September 3, 2026 premiere.

The figure represents a 15% drop from the opening episode of Season 1, which drew approximately 3.5 million UK viewers after its launch in March 2024. The latest numbers therefore mark a decline of about 500,000 viewers compared with the show’s first-season debut.

The audience figures were provided by Overnights.tv through Barb, the UK’s official television audience measurement body. The figures are not directly comparable with Netflix’s own viewing statistics, as Netflix primarily reports views, while Barb measures the number of individual viewers.

The decline comes as the series has been surrounded by speculation over Meghan Markle potentially joining the cast. Reports have suggested that the Duchess of Sussex is being considered for a role in the Netflix series, which would potentially mark a significant return to acting for her.

The casting reports have generated considerable discussion online, with some viewers expressing opposition to the possibility of Markle appearing in the series. However, neither Netflix nor the production team behind The Gentlemen has officially confirmed or denied the reports.

Despite the weaker opening figures for its second season, the series has already secured another season. Season 3 is in development, with Theo James and Kaya Scodelario expected to return as filming is planned in the UK.

The Gentlemen, created by Guy Ritchie, premiered in March 2024 as a spin-off series inspired by Ritchie’s 2019 film of the same name. The black comedy crime drama follows a wealthy aristocrat who becomes entangled in a criminal underworld after inheriting an estate with unexpected connections to a lucrative drug operation.