Netflix’s recent Kevin Hart roast came about after they were first turned down by Paul McCartney.
The Roast Of Kevin Hart aired live on the streaming network on Sunday (May 10), hosted by comedian Shane Gillis, but it has emerged that one of Netflix’s original targets for the roast was the Beatles legend.
Jeff Ross, who executive produces the Netflix roasts, told Variety: “We did ask Paul McCartney at one point. To me, that would be a fantasy roast. Paul McCartney doesn’t need anything, but a Paul McCartney roast would be good for the world. It would be so funny to me because he is so loved.”
Netflix’s stand-up comedy chief Robbie Praw also said that they had “thrown around a lot of names” for this year’s roast, with one candidate being Will Smith. Their first roast was of NFL legend Tom Brady in 2024, while those involved with the Hart roast included Dwayne Johnson, Pete Davidson, Regina Hall and Chelsea Handler.
McCartney, meanwhile, is preparing to release his new album ‘The Boys Of Dungeon Lane’ on May 29 (pre-order here). It includes a duet with Ringo Starr on ‘Home To Us’, a nostalgic reflection on their Liverpool roots that marks their first ever vocal collaboration. It also features Texas’ Sharleen Spiteri and The Pretenders’ Chrissie Hynde, and you can check it out above.
The doors of 3 Savile Row in London’s Mayfair, meanwhile, will be open to the public next year for the first-ever official Beatles fan experience. The site of the iconic 1969 rooftop concert will allow fans access to seven floors of archives and exhibitions, while the ‘Let It Be’ studio will also be recreated.
Sam Mendes’ quartet of big screen biopics of The Beatles are also on their way, with each film taking on the perspective of a different member of the band. Set for release in April 2028, they will see Paul Mescal play McCartney, Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Joseph Quinn as George Harrison and Barry Keoghan as Starr.
A separate series, Hamburg Days, has also begun filming. The BBC show will be set in the early ‘60s and will explore The Beatles’ formative years in the German city, with Succession’s Jamie Carragher behind the screenplay.