Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett remains under pressure after a BBC investigation claimed guests on his Diary of a CEO podcast were making an average of 14 harmful health claims on each episode.
The podcast initially focused on entrepreneurship and business when it launched in 2017 but has concentrated more on health-related issues since 2020.
Bartlett hasn’t commented publicly but his company, Flight Studio, insisted the podcast is ‘an open-minded, long-form conversation’.
We asked the public what they thought of Bartlett and Diary of a CEO and the vast majority of comments were critical.
He’s the ‘clickbait champion’
Emma-Louise Fusari, founder, In-House Health, said: “Never been a fan. He’s played a huge part in this online toxic positivity echo chamber that we now see on socials. He’s now the clickbait captain and for all the wrong reasons IMO. This is before I even get started on the credibility of some of the rubbish he and his guests spout about health.”
Stopped listening
Lucy Moore, director of strategy and partnerships, Refresh, said: “I loved his early days stuff – informative interviews with actual business people – and was a loyal listener. I found the pieces about scaling companies etc really interesting. Have stopped listening in the past year – it feels like clickbait/the Daily Mail in podcast form now, unfortunately.”
BBC is rattled
Ben Roberts, co-founder, Utopi, said: “I think it’s rather rich for someone like the BBC or any other mainstream media company to accuse anyone of spreading misinformation. They just don’t like that so many eyes are being redirected to independent sources that they can’t control. Someone up the food chain is rattled and they’ve sent in the troops to try and cancel him.”
Responsibility
David Beharall, founder, IS THIS YOU?, said: “Steven has earned his platform, but with that comes the responsibility to tackle notable critique and controversy. Transparency could go a long way here, especially given how many people look up to him – including myself!”
No truth behind them
Richard Knowles said: “These podcasts are neither entertainment or informative. Unfortunately this is one of so many channels/programmes that share information/videos etc. that lead to widely held views that have little or no truth behind them, but are treated as the truth.”
He’s being cancelled
Justin Blackhurst, CEO, Digital Next, said: “I think he is starting to question the mainstream narrative and therefore putting himself in a situation where they would want to cancel him.”
Stick to what he knows
Elizabeth Clark, co-founder and CEO, Dream Agility, said: “There are better and more informed health podcasts out there. He looks a bit confused and befuddled when it’s going over his head. There are some big hitting US doctors that do this stuff far better. He should stick to what he knows.”
Nobody has the right to an audience
Entrepreneur Paul Smith OBE said: “Uncomfortable and differing points of view should not be confused with misinformation. Nor should uncomfortable and differing points of view be presented as facts. That’s what this issue is about.
‘It’s up to the viewers to decide for themselves’ is a nonsensical rationale when guests are presented as experts. Bartlett’s platform legitimises any conversation that takes place on it, and so far I’m not aware of a guest saying: ‘I’m in no way qualified to say the following, but here it goes…’
“I’m fully supportive of established scientific viewpoints being challenged, but I expect it to be done by people who know what they’re talking about.
“Everyone has the right to an opinion, exactly nobody has the right to an audience, or to be allowed a position where they can materially influence one.”
Hubristic whiff
Mark Hawthorn, CEO, Landmark Group, said: “He’s a marketer and has productised himself very well but has always had a hubristic whiff about him.
“Also made lots of claims that whilst not completely untrue also were certainly misleading – most have since been removed from public arena after being called out by national press etc. He won’t be the first or last to follow this path.”
Lost its authenticity
Podcast trainer Kath Lord-Green said: “Personally, I stopped listening a while ago. I had listened to him from day one in 2017 when he started Diary of a CEO which was literally just that… his voice (no interviews) no production studio – nothing – a real authentic look at his week recorded from a cupboard in his home at all hours of the day. Now it’s hours long, conflicting interviews from one week to the next, audio and video, production teams etc and it’s lost its authentic self.”
Can’t bear him
Portfolio finance director Oliver Thornton said: “Just can’t bear his triteness. Irritated me from day one. I only watched one of his podcasts – the one with Jordan Peterson – because I thought he can’t get that wrong… and he did!”
‘Promoting false information’
David Aitken said: “Used to be a huge fan of Steven Bartlett, but now he just seems to be pushing a health agenda or promoting false information about products he supports or has invested in. It’s a shame really, they used to be really good podcasts.”
Bored of ‘same old daily dross’
Chris Ashton-Green, founder and CEO, Regit.cars, said: “In the early days it was great and for the very reasons in this article I unsubscribed and stopped watching. I also unfollowed all his social media because I got bored of the same old daily dross and rhetoric.”
‘Experts go unchallenged
Keynote speaker Alex McNab-Lundback said: “I used to really like DOAC – particularly the autobiographical episodes. Richard Hammond, Richard Branson and Stephen Fry for example immediately spring to mind as insightful and engaging storytelling.
“But these recent ‘experts’ he has had on have lost me. I’m all for freedom of speech, but when it comes to health matters – as a journalist he has a duty of care.
“He lets the experts have their opinion – but these often go completely, or greatly, unchallenged. Let’s also remind ourselves that Bartlett is not a trained or ‘experienced’ journalist – he is an entrepreneur turned celebrity interviewer, and this is now showing in his lack of journalistic standards!”
Trying to be Joe Rogan
Andrew Maeer wrote: “Trying to be too Joe Rogan.”