Amanda Bynes launched a podcast. 6 days later, she changed her mind.

After returning to the spotlight with the launch of her new podcast just six days ago, Amanda Bynes has "taken a pause". 

The actor had an understandably difficult decade in the spotlight, after starring Nickelodeon's The Amanda Show and several other film and TV projects before retiring from acting after Easy A in 2010. 

From there, Bynes went on a downward spiral that tragically played out in front of the entire world on social media and through the tabloids. 

Last week, the actor returned to the spotlight after 13 years for her next project: a podcast. However, after just one episode, she's decided not to continue on with the show.

Listen to this episode of Extraordinary Stories that explains what happened to Amanda Bynes. Post continues after audio. 

Bynes announced her retirement from acting after Easy A premiered, tweeting: "Being an actress isn't as fun as it may seem.

"If I don't love something anymore, I stop doing it... I know 24 is a young age to retire, but you've heard it here first — I've retired."

She later told Paper Magazine her decision to step back from the spotlight ultimately came down to insecurity. 

"I literally couldn’t stand my appearance in that movie and I didn’t like my performance," Bynes explained in 2018.

"I was absolutely convinced I needed to stop acting after seeing it," she continued. "I was high on marijuana when I saw that but for some reason, it really started to affect me... I was convinced that I should never be on camera again and I officially retired on Twitter, which was, you know, also stupid."

Amanda Bynes in Hairspray. Image: Getty.

She might have announced her retirement, but Bynes didn't stop working straight away. She was booked to appear in Hall Pass, in which she was to play the babysitter looking after the kids of Owen Wilson's character. But when she began exhibiting erratic and paranoid behaviour on set, Alexandra Daddario was brought in to replace her.

Not too long after, in 2012, the actor had a swift fall from grace thanks to a series of arrests – drunk driving, two hit-and-runs and driving on a suspended licence. In total, Bynes had seven car accidents in 2012.

She was also chronicling her life and dark inner thoughts on Twitter at the same time.

In a series of now-deleted tweets, Bynes published "crazy" posts that were questionable and cruel towards celebrities including Miley Cyrus and Zac Efron, whom she called "ugly", and Rihanna, who was on the receiving end of racist remarks.

The actor told Paper Magazine, "I was just stuck at home, getting high, watching TV and tweeting.

"I’m really ashamed and embarrassed with the things I said. I can’t turn back time but if I could, I would. And I’m so sorry to whoever I hurt and whoever I lied about because it truly eats away at me."

Five years after her apology to fans and those she bullied, Bynes returned to the spotlight with a new podcast, Amanda Bynes & Paul Sieminski: The Podcast on Spotify. The series, available also in video format, marked the first on-camera project for the actress since 2010.

She announced her new podcast in October, telling fans she was excited to work with her co-host.

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A post shared by Amanda B. (@amandaamandaamanda1986)

The former child star announced in November that she and Paul were working on a podcast, saying in an Instagram video, "At first we are going to interview our friends and then we're hoping to take it mainstream and interview celebrities and artists."

The first (and only) episode, which was also released in a video format, featured Los Angeles tattoo artist Dahlia Moth, who met the Hairspray star a few years ago while working at a Spirit Halloween store.

Amanda Bynes, Paul Sieminski and Dahlia Moth. Image: Instagram @amandamandaamanda19i86.

Her return to the spotlight since launching the new project has been well-received by fans but a little less than a week after the release of the first episode, Bynes has announced she's "taking a pause."

The actor attributed her decision to being unhappy with her current pool of guests. 

Despite acknowledging she had plans to interview friends first and eventually work herself up to working with A-listers, Bynes has said she's "not able to get the type of guests that I'd like on the show."

"So even though the podcast is doing really well and the response has been great, I am going to take a pause on it for now," the Hairspray actor said over the weekend.

"We are not able to get the type of guests that I’d like on the show."

She noted she'd like to work with rappers Drake and Jack Harlow, along with singer Post Malone.

But until then, it looks like the jury is out on when the next episode of her podcast will be released.

"So maybe one day if we’re able to get those types of guests on the show, we will resume the podcast," she explained. But for now, I’m taking a pause on it. Thank you everyone who watched. I really hope you enjoyed it. That is all for now."

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This article was originally published December 12, 2023 and has since been updated with new information.

Feature Image: Instagram/@amandabynes.

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