diff --git a/components/tv/TVNextEpisodeCountdown.tsx b/components/tv/TVNextEpisodeCountdown.tsx
index 6582cacb8..47193b0e1 100644
--- a/components/tv/TVNextEpisodeCountdown.tsx
+++ b/components/tv/TVNextEpisodeCountdown.tsx
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ export const TVNextEpisodeCountdown: FC<TVNextEpisodeCountdownProps> = ({
   const typography = useScaledTVTypography();
   const { t } = useTranslation();
   const progress = useSharedValue(0);
+  const cancelled = useSharedValue(false);
   const onFinishRef = useRef(onFinish);
   const { focused, handleFocus, handleBlur, animatedStyle } =
     useTVFocusAnimation({
@@ -120,13 +121,15 @@ export const TVNextEpisodeCountdown: FC<TVNextEpisodeCountdownProps> = ({
       return;
     }
 
+    cancelled.value = false;
+
     // Resume from current position
     const remainingDuration = (1 - progress.value) * 8000;
     progress.value = withTiming(
       1,
       { duration: remainingDuration, easing: Easing.linear },
       (finished) => {
-        if (finished) {
+        if (finished && !cancelled.value) {
           runOnJS(onFinishRef.current)();
         }
       },
@@ -134,9 +137,10 @@ export const TVNextEpisodeCountdown: FC<TVNextEpisodeCountdownProps> = ({
 
     // Cancel animation on unmount to prevent onFinish from firing after exit
     return () => {
+      cancelled.value = true;
       cancelAnimation(progress);
     };
-  }, [show, isPlaying, progress]);
+  }, [show, isPlaying, progress, cancelled]);
 
   const progressStyle = useAnimatedStyle(() => ({
     width: `${progress.value * 100}%`,
diff --git a/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tv.tsx b/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tv.tsx
index 657f2a8cd..2faecbaaf 100644
--- a/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tv.tsx
+++ b/components/video-player/controls/Controls.tv.tsx
@@ -517,6 +517,8 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
   const goToNextItemRef = useRef<(opts?: { isAutoPlay?: boolean }) => void>(
     () => {},
   );
+  const exitingRef = useRef(false);
+  const [isExiting, setIsExiting] = useState(false);
 
   const updateSeekBubbleTime = useCallback((ms: number) => {
     const totalSeconds = Math.floor(ms / 1000);
@@ -960,6 +962,16 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
     router.back();
   }, [router]);
 
+  const handleWillExit = useCallback(() => {
+    exitingRef.current = true;
+    setIsExiting(true);
+  }, []);
+
+  const handleCancelExit = useCallback(() => {
+    exitingRef.current = false;
+    setIsExiting(false);
+  }, []);
+
   const { isSliding: isRemoteSliding } = useRemoteControl({
     showControls: showControls,
     toggleControls,
@@ -976,6 +988,8 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
     onVerticalDpad: handleVerticalDpad,
     onHideControls: hideControls,
     onBack: handleBack,
+    onWillExit: handleWillExit,
+    onCancelExit: handleCancelExit,
     videoTitle: item?.Name ?? undefined,
   });
 
@@ -1061,6 +1075,7 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
   goToNextItemRef.current = goToNextItem;
 
   const handleAutoPlayFinish = useCallback(() => {
+    if (exitingRef.current) return;
     goToNextItem({ isAutoPlay: true });
   }, [goToNextItem]);
 
@@ -1135,7 +1150,7 @@ export const Controls: FC<Props> = ({
           nextItem={nextItem}
           api={api}
           show={isCountdownActive}
-          isPlaying={isPlaying}
+          isPlaying={isPlaying && !isExiting}
           onFinish={handleAutoPlayFinish}
           onPlayNext={handleNextItemButton}
           controlsVisible={showControls}
diff --git a/components/video-player/controls/hooks/useRemoteControl.ts b/components/video-player/controls/hooks/useRemoteControl.ts
index 359b4100d..8a4fd902e 100644
--- a/components/video-player/controls/hooks/useRemoteControl.ts
+++ b/components/video-player/controls/hooks/useRemoteControl.ts
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ interface UseRemoteControlProps {
   onLongSeekStop?: () => void;
   /** Callback when up/down D-pad pressed (to show controls with play button focused) */
   onVerticalDpad?: () => void;
+  /** Called before the exit confirmation Alert is shown (e.g., to pause countdown) */
+  onWillExit?: () => void;
+  /** Called when the user cancels the exit confirmation Alert */
+  onCancelExit?: () => void;
   // Legacy props - kept for backwards compatibility with mobile Controls.tsx
   // These are ignored in the simplified implementation
   progress?: SharedValue<number>;
@@ -72,6 +76,8 @@ export function useRemoteControl({
   onLongSeekRightStart,
   onLongSeekStop,
   onVerticalDpad,
+  onWillExit,
+  onCancelExit,
 }: UseRemoteControlProps) {
   // Keep these for backward compatibility with the component
   const remoteScrubProgress = useSharedValue<number | null>(null);
@@ -85,13 +91,24 @@ export function useRemoteControl({
   const onHideControlsRef = useRef(onHideControls);
   const onBackRef = useRef(onBack);
   const videoTitleRef = useRef(videoTitle);
+  const onWillExitRef = useRef(onWillExit);
+  const onCancelExitRef = useRef(onCancelExit);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     showControlsRef.current = showControls;
     onHideControlsRef.current = onHideControls;
     onBackRef.current = onBack;
     videoTitleRef.current = videoTitle;
-  }, [showControls, onHideControls, onBack, videoTitle]);
+    onWillExitRef.current = onWillExit;
+    onCancelExitRef.current = onCancelExit;
+  }, [
+    showControls,
+    onHideControls,
+    onBack,
+    videoTitle,
+    onWillExit,
+    onCancelExit,
+  ]);
 
   // BackHandler owns player exit: Android TV sends hardware back here, and
   // react-native-tvos maps the Apple TV menu button to the same API.
@@ -102,6 +119,9 @@ export function useRemoteControl({
       return true;
     }
     if (onBackRef.current) {
+      // Signal Controls that exit is imminent (pauses countdown, sets guard)
+      onWillExitRef.current?.();
+
       // Controls are hidden, so confirm before leaving playback.
       Alert.alert(
         "Stop Playback",
@@ -109,7 +129,11 @@ export function useRemoteControl({
           ? `Stop playing "${videoTitleRef.current}"?`
           : "Are you sure you want to stop playback?",
         [
-          { text: "Cancel", style: "cancel" },
+          {
+            text: "Cancel",
+            style: "cancel",
+            onPress: () => onCancelExitRef.current?.(),
+          },
           { text: "Stop", style: "destructive", onPress: onBackRef.current },
         ],
       );