Before Steven Bartlett became the polished face of modern entrepreneurship — the Dragon, the podcast king, the man whose voice millions treat as a compass — he was a restless kid in Plymouth who felt like the world wasn’t built for him. What he didn’t know then was that this sense of misfit energy would become the fuel for a global empire… and the spark for a storm of scrutiny that would one day threaten to swallow the myth he built.
A Beginning That Didn’t Look Like a Beginning
Steven Bartlett’s story starts far from the spotlight. Born in Botswana in 1992 and raised in the UK, he grew up between cultures and expectations. School felt suffocating. Authority felt arbitrary. And the traditional path felt like a trap.
He drifted through classrooms, rebelled against structure, and eventually walked out of university after a single lecture — a moment that would later become the cornerstone of his legend.
The First Spark
In a cramped Manchester bedroom, surrounded by takeaway boxes and ambition, Steven began building. His early projects were messy and experimental, but they taught him how people behave online. Then came Social Chain, the social‑media‑first marketing company that would make him a millionaire before 25. It was fast, chaotic, and intoxicating — the first time Steven felt the world bend in his direction. But the real turning point wasn’t the rise. It was the exit.
The Reinvention: A Diary Becomes a Kingdom
When Steven left Social Chain, he didn’t slow down — he transformed. He launched The Diary of a CEO, a podcast that began as a personal audio journal and evolved into one of the world’s most influential shows. Millions listened. Celebrities lined up. Brands took notice. The intimacy of the format — the confessions, the vulnerability, the emotional excavation — made Steven not just a host, but a mirror. But influence is a double‑edged sword.
The Empire Expands
As the podcast grew, so did Steven’s business footprint. He became a Dragon on Dragons’ Den, invested in nutrition brands like ZOE and Huel, and built a media and tech ecosystem around his name. He wasn’t just an entrepreneur anymore. He was a brand. A movement. A modern archetype of the creator‑CEO. But the bigger the empire, the louder the scrutiny.
The Storm Begins
The BBC Investigation
In late 2024, the BBC World Service launched an investigation into health claims made on The Diary of a CEO. Their analysis found that across 15 health‑related episodes, guests made an average of 14 harmful health claims per episode The Independent. Experts were alarmed.
Professor Heidi Larson, public confidence in healthcare expert, warned:
“They are way overstretching. It sends people away from evidence‑based medicine.” The Independent
Professor David Grimes, cancer researcher, cautioned that following such advice:
“Could potentially and very realistically get very, very sick.” JOE.co.uk
The investigation highlighted claims such as:
- Cancer being treatable with a keto diet JOE.co.uk
- Covid vaccines being “a catastrophic overall net negative effect” iNews.co.uk
- Autism and other disorders being “reversed” with diet JOE.co.uk
- Evidence‑based medication being “toxic” JOE.co.uk
All aired to millions, often without challenge.
Steven’s production company, Flight Studio, pushed back, calling the BBC’s reporting a “misleading partial narrative” The Independent and insisting the podcast is an “open‑minded, long‑form conversation” with “thoroughly researched” guests JOE.co.uk. But the storm had already begun.
The Advertising Watchdog Steps In
Around the same time, the UK Advertising Standards Authority banned multiple ads featuring Steven Bartlett for being misleading — specifically for failing to disclose his financial ties to the companies he was promoting. The ads for ZOE and Huel looked like personal testimonials. But they weren’t. He was an investor and director. The ASA ruled that this omission could mislead consumers. Steven hit back, accusing the watchdog of being more interested in publicity than protection — a stance that only intensified the debate around his influence.
The Man Behind the Myth
Strip away the headlines, and Steven Bartlett remains a compelling figure:
- A self‑made entrepreneur born far from privilege
- A master storyteller who built a global audience
- A business figure whose influence crosses industries
- A marketer whose promotional style sometimes clashes with regulatory expectations
He is not easily categorized. Not hero. Not villain. But a symbol of the modern creator‑CEO era — where personal brand, business empire, and public responsibility collide in real time. And as one industry commentator put it: “What responsibilities should wielding modern‑day influence bring?” That question now hangs over Steven Bartlett’s empire like a shadow.
Sources
The IndependentThe Independent – BBC investigation into harmful health claims on The Diary of a CEO JOE.co.ukJOE.co.uk – Expert analysis of misinformation and harmful claims iNews.co.ukiNews – Breakdown of debunked claims and vaccine misinformation
