Tan France defends Meghan Markle’s struggling lifestyle show
Meghan Markle’s close friend and television personality Tan France has stepped forward to defend the Duchess of Sussex following a wave of harsh criticism from British media over her Netflix lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan — arguing that the programme was simply never intended for a UK audience.
The Duchess made a highly anticipated return to social media at the start of 2025, arriving with a slate of project announcements that signalled a new chapter in her public life. Chief among them was With Love, Meghan, a lifestyle series in which she welcomed celebrities from various walks of life, offering cooking tips, decorating ideas, and a glimpse into her personal aesthetic.
The show, however, failed to win over viewers as Meghan had hoped. Ratings underwhelmed, and the British press seized on the opportunity, unleashing a torrent of scathing reviews and commentary that painted the production as out of touch and overly polished.
France, a British-born television personality best known for Queer Eye, who also appeared on the show, refused to stay silent. Speaking on Channel 5’s Vanessa, he offered a pointed defence of his friend while taking a sharp dig at British sensibilities.
“Being from the UK, but living in the US, I think I understand both equally well,” he said. “It was never going to be for the Brits.”
He went further, suggesting that the cultural gap between British and American audiences made the show’s cool reception in the UK entirely predictable. “The Brits are too cynical, they don’t care about the whimsy, they’re too busy getting on with real life,” France said.
He also acknowledged the economic realities shaping British attitudes, noting that life in England is demanding enough that its residents have little appetite — or time — for the kind of elevated domesticity the show celebrated. The idea of stopping to make a “charcuterie board pretty,” he implied, simply does not resonate with people grinding through the pressures of everyday British life.
France’s comments sparked fresh debate online, with some applauding his loyalty and candour, while others felt his remarks came across as dismissive of legitimate criticism. For Meghan, however, the public support from a trusted friend and fellow cast member offered a measure of comfort amid the noise — a reminder that, whatever the reviews say, she still has people firmly in her corner.