HE has just been named the third most successful content creator in the world by Forbes, but Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett has never been more divisive.
The 33-year-old has been described as an “accident waiting to happen for the BBC” as his popular, yet polarising, podcast – Diary of a CEO – continues to cause controversy with its “inaccurate and dangerous” health claims. Now, we reveal how one of Britain’s most trusted gurus has become one of the internet’s most controversial players, earning the title “Trojan horse for the “.
Steven Bartlett presents the Diary of a CEO podcast Credit: Steven Bartlett
He is also a star on the BBC’s hit show Dragons’ Den Credit: BBC
That’s because has become known for his obsession with excessive self-optimisation – using his platform to essentially become the ring-leader of productivity-maxxing.
The so-called tech bro phenomenon of relentlessly measuring daily habits – including schedule and gym routine – for peak performance has helped Steven’s podcast catapult to £39million in earnings.
In the Forbes’ rich list, he’s third, only to Dhar Mann, who ranks second with £49million and Jimmy Donaldson, best known as MrBeast, being top with £227million.
On the surface, Steven’s rags-to-riches story is one to be admired.
Born in , his family moved to in when he was two years old, but faced financial struggles – admitting there was never enough spare cash for birthday or Christmas presents for him or his three siblings.
He says his success is because of, not in spite of, his parents’ failure to be around when he was growing up – because they were working around the clock.
However, while it fuelled his entrepreneurial spirit – inventing ways of making from his school peers – his childhood was marked by deep isolation and feelings of being an outsider.
In a radical reversal, he now has a monthly listenership of 50million and is the richest British creator on the global stage – having also built Steven.com into a £322million holding company.
Steven doesn’t hold back on asking controversial questions on his podcast Credit: Getty
But there’s another side to his impressive money-making scheme.
Since launching his podcast in 2017, Steven has interviewed some of the biggest names on the planet, including and , with famous celebrities and being invited to share their tips for success in entrepreneurship and .
It rocketed to success, becoming a must-view mainstream podcast, which frequently topped the charts.
However, more recently, Steven has concentrated on the health industry, with guests presented as leading experts in their fields – and more often than not, their views are given little or no challenge.
It’s led Steven to be seen as the “Trojan horse for the manosphere” – a term used to describe content creators with mass appeal, subtly normalising toxic “red pill” ideologies.
An insider who used to work with Steven told The Sun: “Steven has become super successful through his work ethic, consistency, ability to connect with audiences, and his skill at spotting an opportunity.
“He’s seen the growing number of men obsessed with self-optimisation and is appealing directly to them.
“He got so successful because he’s been consistent.
“For him, it’s not so much about fame, but definitely notoriety.
“His true motivator is because for years, he had nothing. He fought his way right to the top by backing himself.
“He invested money and worked hard. Now it’s paid off – big time.”
But in his staggeringly speedy rise to world domination, Steven’s apparent “fake it ’til you make it” attitude has exposed his vulnerabilities.
Over the years, he’s had run-ins with authorities who have been forced to step in when he’s stepped over the line.
In 2016, Social Chain – the company he co-founded that made his first millions by helping businesses promote their brands – was warned by Britain’s advertising authority for not making it clear that influencers were being paid to endorse products.
Then, in 2024, the UK Advertising Standards Authority banned ads for meal replacement drink Huel and health testing company Zoe that featured Steven on his podcast because it could be mistaken for an independent and not a result of Bartlett’s financial interest in both companies.
But it’s not just about bending the rules.
In 2024, a claimed the Diary of a CEO host is amplifying harmful health misinformation on his number-one-ranked podcast.
Steven failed to push back against bizarre claims that can be treated by following a over proven treatments.
It was described by the BBC World Service as being dangerous because it creates a distrust of conventional .
At the time, Flight Studio – the podcast production company owned by Steven – said guests were offered “freedom of expression” and were “thoroughly researched”.
Steven also came under enormous backlash over his episode with former turned ‘bro-caster’ Chris Williamson when, as two childless men, they discussed whether women were to blame for the population crisis.
A 2024 episode resurfaced earlier this year, sparking fury as Steven discussed involuntary celibate men – known as ‘‘ – not being able to have children as they can’t find partners.
He asked psychologist Dr Alok Kanojia: “We’re going to have a lot of men who are disillusioned that become incels, find themselves in pockets of the internet, are resentful. All those kinds of things.
“Should society intervene to course correct that? Should we put systems in place to make sure that those men meet partners?”
However, it was Steven’s most recent claim that he after having a couple of glasses of wine, which appeared to hit a nerve with many on the internet.
BBC One presenter hit out at the podcaster, encouraging fans to join his “anti-optimisation/Bartlett cult TODAY!”
He said: “So I’ve sort of been railing against this for years. My issue is this endless optimisation and measuring of everything to the point where it starts to make you feel a bit miserable if you don’t quite hit your own targets.”
He added: “You can have ambitions and goals and get good at a skill and do well in your life professionally, and also have a great time.
“Not everything has to be like work; you can be on, and then you can be off. And this is a reminder to go and have a nice time!
“Optimisation is killing fun.”
Singer backed his anti-Bartlett cult, replying: “You mean you don’t have to be a nitpicking, hypercritical psychopath to succeed?”
Meanwhile, presenter suggested that Steven was no longer suited to the role on which he joined as an investor in 2021.
Richard said on The Rest Is Entertainment podcast: “If we’ve learned anything from people who’ve worked at the BBC for 10 years… If there is a minor, minor issue, any sort of tiny issue that might come up, then the BBC gets in enormous trouble.
“And I love him on Dragons’ Den by the way, and I love Dragons’ Den, but that feels like an accident waiting to happen.
“That feels like a difficult thing, to ride both horses. To be on the BBC, where everything has to be squeaky clean, and any newspaper will pick up on anything that happens, and to run an enormous podcast that controversial people on the edge of intellectual thought, as we know it at the moment, and on the edge of health thinking, as we know it at the moment.
“Both of those things you’re allowed to do. You’re allowed to Dragons’ Den and you’re allowed to do a podcast that pushes the boundaries of what we think about things. But it feels like at some point that might become an issue.
“I find that dual carriageway he is on quite an interesting one.”
In January 2024, Steven invested in Acu Seeds, acupuncture beads which are placed in the ear, while on Dragons’ Den.
The entrepreneur pictured with his fiancée Melanie Credit: Instagram
Steven with his fellow Dragons Jenna Meek, Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones and Susie Ma Credit: BBC
They have been claimed to help the chronic fatigue condition, (ME).
After complaints, the BBC added a disclaimer to the episode on iPlayer, stating they are not intended as a cure, and medical guidance should be followed for ME.
Despite scepticism around Steven moving between the two worlds, his camp doesn’t see it as a problem.
An insider told The Sun: “Steven doesn’t see himself or his podcast as being off mainstream.
“He would argue he’s got the platform to allow all voices to be heard.
“The truth is, when you’re very small, you don’t have many haters, but when you’re globally recognised, you’re going to have hundreds of thousands of haters, so it’s all in ratio.
“He is aware of the criticism. He’s not oblivious to it, but he has this innate ability to not let it affect him, and he manages to keep going because he has a certain aim and a certain demographic.
“For every one person out there that doesn’t like him, there are about 100 others that love him.
“He sees all of those comments, and that’s what drives him forward.
“Steve is very divisive, and he’s walking a very fine line in terms of how people feel about him, but for him, he has one vision and nothing prevents him from doing that, no matter how harsh the criticism is.”
The rise of health misinformation
The Sun spoke to Dr Philipa Kaye about the shocking rise of health misinformation and how to navigate online content
THE internet, social media, podcasts and more have done a huge amount of good to raise awareness and help many people.
Yet with it, misinformation and, in particular, health misinformation is also much easier to spread.
Charismatic presenters and compelling personal stories can be persuasive, yet popularity should never be confused with medical expertise or scientific evidence.
When it comes to your health, particularly serious conditions such as cancer or chronic illnesses, following unsupported advice can have real-world consequences if it delays or replaces proven medical care.
Where there is a lack of research, where medicine doesn’t always have the answers, it is even easier for misinformation to sneak through. When we are unwell, we want to be better and so are vulnerable.
It’s important that people approach extraordinary health claims with healthy scepticism, especially when they come from people who are not qualified healthcare professionals or when there is no balanced input from independent medical experts.
No single podcast, influencer or viral clip should be treated as a substitute for evidence-based advice from your GP, specialist, or recognised health organisations.
To help people navigate the growing volume of health content online, the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) has developed the TRUST Test, a simple evidence-based tool for evaluating health, diet and supplement claims before acting on them or sharing them. First ask:
T – Too good to be true? Does it promise miracle cures or quick fixes?
R – Research-backed? Is there robust scientific evidence, or is it relying on anecdotes?
U – Understood? Has the person sharing the information properly understood the medical context, risks and limitations?
S – Source quality? Does the advice come from a recognised scientific or health organisation, and are they selling a product or supplement?
T – Think before you share. If the information fails any of these checks, don’t pass it on.
Steven touched on making his fortune in December, revealing how money had transformed his family.
He admitted: “It wasn’t until my big sister called to say she was sick – that they’d found a large mass growing in her chest – that I truly understood the value of the last ten years of hard work.
“In that moment, I was able to help her; bring her back to the UK, get her the care she needed, and ensure she didn’t have to worry about money.”
He added that he understood the “deeper purpose behind what I do” when his older brother Jason quit his job to join his company, which “allowed him to move to the countryside, spend time with his three young children, be a present father, and escape a job and life he disliked”.
He was also able to afford dental care for his mum, who opened up about her confidence issues when she smiled.
Steven says that making his millions allowed him to help his family, who are “his reason” and now he wants to help raise the next generation to be “happy, healthy, and kind”.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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