When Pamela Anderson appeared on the August 3rd episode of Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, she was asked a bold question many viewers had been wondering: did she feel that Meghan Markle copied her cooking show?

Both Anderson’s Pamela’s Cooking With Love on Prime Video and Markle’s With Love, Meghan on Netflix are new lifestyle series featuring celebrity guests, fresh produce, and homey cooking moments. Anderson’s show debuted first—February 24, 2025—while Markle’s premiered March 4, 2025, just over a week later.

“I Didn’t Invent Cooking Shows”: Anderson Shuts Down Copycat Claims

During Cohen’s segment Plead the Fifth, he asked: “On a scale from one to ten, how much of a rip off did you feel like With Love, Meghan was of your show?”

Anderson replied quickly: “One. I didn’t.”

When Cohen followed up—“You didn’t see any similarities?”—Anderson shook her head and added, “No, I didn’t really look, but I didn’t invent cooking shows.” She then laughed, saying, “She’s just doing her thing.”

Despite Anderson’s gracious answer, viewers couldn’t help pointing out the overlap: both shows feature “garden-to-table” visuals, wicker baskets, and casual chats with guests while cooking.

Even their opening lines sound alike. Anderson opens with: “I just have always wanted to take things to another level,” while Markle says she’s “always loved taking something pretty ordinary and elevating it.”

Some critics even accused Markle’s show of being a “frame-for-frame” imitation, while royal commentator Neil Sean suggested the similarities were too close to be accidental.

Who Came First? Anderson, by a Margin

Anderson’s series was not only released first—it was also announced and filmed earlier. Production began in summer 2023, with the trailer dropping by October 2024. Markle’s show wasn’t publicly revealed until February 2025.

Jesse Fawcett, executive producer of Anderson’s series, commented on the comparisons in The Daily Beast:
“We take pride in planting the first seeds—creating original, distinctive programming… it’s a compliment to see our work with Ms. Anderson resonate so strongly.”

Even Martha Stewart was asked her thoughts. Speaking with Yahoo Lifestyle, she said:
“Meghan, I don’t really know very well, and I hope she knows what she’s talking about… Authenticity, to me, is everything.”

Stewart didn’t address Anderson’s show.

Fans React: “Pamela Is a Class Act”

Online, many sided with Anderson. One commenter wrote: “I was shocked at how much she’d ripped off Pamela’s show… Markle doesn’t have one original idea.” Others praised Anderson’s classy reaction, saying, “Happy people act right. Pamela is happy.”

However, some defended Markle, arguing that similarities are inevitable in food and lifestyle shows, where gardens, kitchens, and guests are common ingredients.

Anderson’s Show Outperforms Markle’s

Despite the controversy—or perhaps because of it—Anderson’s series is thriving. Pamela’s Cooking With Love currently holds an impressive 9.8/10 rating on IMDb, while With Love, Meghan lingers around 2.7–3.2/10.

The Daily Beast reported Markle’s series didn’t crack Netflix’s top 300, despite being quickly renewed for a second season. The new season is set to launch this fall, but People has reported that Markle and Prince Harry’s $100 million Netflix deal will not be renewed past September.