'Amanda Holden's Cheat: Unfinished Business will leave you feeling grubby'

Yahoo

30-04-2025

Right at the start of Amanda Holden's new Netflix show Cheat: Unfinished Business, Holden reveals the reason the eight warring couples have agreed to join her at her special relationship retreat.
But which of these options is it?
A) They want to have a free holiday at a villa in Majorca.
B) They are budding influencers who want to be on telly and get their follower count up.
C) They want to rekindle their infidelity-blighted relationships.
D) They are unrepentant horny young opportunists who sense they might get a chance to crack on with one of the other contestants.
For Holden, it is purely one of the above. For anyone who watches the show, it will quickly become apparent that it could be any combination of those four options. In a couple of cases, it could easily be all four. By the way, that's not just me being wise after the event having seen how it all pans out. It's obvious from the very beginning.
The fact that two of the couples met on other reality/dating shows — Love Island and Rylan's best-forgotten Hot Mess Summer — is our first clue.
Then, once we begin to understand the format of the show, it's very clear Netflix would be equally happy with an "all of the above" situation.
Stick sixteen young, attractive and (mostly) single youngsters in a villa in Majorca, direct them to their communal bedrooms, crack open the free bar, and wait for the fireworks to commence. Obviously, the producers would dispute such a cynical take on their intentions.
They would argue this is a serious and well-meaning programme aimed at helping young people through the minefield that is modern relationships. If they were feeling particularly reachy, they might even suggest that, as most of the cheaters are male, this show is a continuation of Adolescence's fine work in the "Britain's young men need fixing" department.
In fairness to Netflix, the contestants' emotional welfare appears to be almost as high on the agenda as their emotional warfare. In her opening address, Holden assures us "They'll all be guided by an expert."
Before you start coughing and whispering the names Les Dennis and Neil Morrissey, I should explain Holden is not referring to herself there. She's talking about Paul C. Brunson, the relationship guru from Married At First Sight UK.
For some reason, Holden's own headline-grabbing back story is, for the large part, allowed to remain the elephant in the room. There's the occasional nod and wink for UK viewers — "They've all made mistakes we can all relate to. None of us are perfect." — but nothing too explicit.
It's a curious editorial decision, not least because you could argue international viewers may have benefited from having a fuller picture of the life experience Holden brings to the table. Still, it does make me think that a celebrity version of Cheat: Unfinished Business would be absolute dynamite. (Yes, of course I have a wish list ready to go.)
Whatever you think of the questionable ethics behind this project, there is no denying that it has the one ingredient that is vital to any successful reality show: It satisfies the rubbernecking viewer's basic need for gossip and intrigue.
We know we shouldn't really be watching random strangers airing their dirty laundry in public like this, but from an entertainment perspective it's completely addictive.
It won't take long for you to start wondering about the nitty-gritty of the alleged indiscretions. You might even find yourself thinking how brilliant it would be if Holden suddenly unveiled the other party in those indiscretions to add even more fuel to the fire. ("And now, all the way from that drunken night in Cryztals, Romford, heeeeere's...")
Sadly, that does not happen (maybe an idea for series 2 though, Netflix?), but most of the episodes do end on a precision-engineered cliffhanger that will ensure you do not hesitate to watch the next. It also features a regular set-piece called The Reckoning, which takes place in The Reckoning Room. (I think it may have something to do with some kind of reckoning of some sort?)
You'll spot some definite The Traitors vibes going on as The Reckoning unfolds. There is shouting and doubting as accusations fly back and forth across a huge banqueting table, lots of mean and moody lighting, dark splashes of Billie Eilish on the soundtrack, and an eye-catching table runner of flames that stay alight or burn out in line with the current status of a couple's relationship.
Needless to say, if you binge all nine episodes in one sitting you'll probably feel like taking a long shower afterwards. Don't go feeling too guilty or grubby about it all though, eh. I mean, there's every chance you will have witnessed some happy endings, and everyone involved will have been given the opportunity to grow emotionally, yeah?
So all that pain and trauma might have been worth it in the end, right? Erm, well. Sort of. I won't spoil the results for you, but by the time we reach the Final Reckoning you'll either be pleasantly surprised or comfortably smug.
Plus, whatever else happens, thanks to the teachings of Paul C. Brunson you will have learned that "Effort always equals interest" and "First love is not the same as true love." (No, me neither.)
Obviously, if those pearls of wisdom don't help you on your journey, you could always take your lead from one of the contestant's final words instead: "I think I'll be staying single."
Cheat: Unfinished Business is streaming on Netflix.