Good Bad Billionaire

by BBC World Service

How did the richest people on the planet make their billions? New episodes include: Sir Paul McCartney, Roger Federer, MrBeast, Luana Lopes Lara, Beyoncé, Cristiano Ronaldo and Steven Spielberg. Make up your minds whether you think they are good, bad or just another billionaire. In each episode, BBC Business Editor Simon Jack and journalist and author Zing Tsjeng analyse the lives of the super-rich, and try to understand what motivates billionaires like Elon Musk, Kim Kardashian, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey. New season: From singing superstar Beyoncé, to footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Simon and Zing will rate their wealth, power, legacy and associated controversies, putting them to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard. Then they hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Get in touch by email and let us know what you think! The contact details are at the end of these show notes. Ever wondered how Taylor Swift went from country singer to money-spinner? How tennis ace Roger Federer turned sporting prowess into amazing business opportunities? Or how Mr Beast and Khaby Lame became some of the wealthiest people on the planet by posting on YouTube and TikTok? Trawl through the archives to find out how Selena Gomez went from a child Disney star to a mega-magnate of makeup, and how Martha Stewart, the “original lifestyle influencer”, became one of the most successful women in business. We explore the life of British inventor Sir James Dyson, and learn about some of the big names behind Snapchat, Minecraft, Marvel, ChatGPT, Google and Amazon, which shape the world we live in today. In a special season, we have also told the stories of the pioneers who helped build the United States of America: the world’s first billionaire John D Rockefeller, motor magnate Henry Ford, the aviator and filmmaker Howard Hughes, Walmart founder Sam Walton, and Hetty Green - once dubbed “The Witch of Wall Street”. It's not just how billionaires made their money; it's what they did with it next. So, what do you think? Make up your own mind. Are they good, bad, or just another billionaire? Let us know your thoughts, and we may include your comments and suggestions in a future episode. If you do not wish for your comments, first name or location to be read out, please say that in your email or message, or mark it confidential. Email goodbadbillionaire@bbc.com or drop us a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. To find out more about the show and read our privacy notice, visit www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

Latest episodes

Showing 20 · updated from the feed

Lord Sugar: From entrepreneur to Apprentice

It's a classic British rags-to-riches story: Alan Michael Sugar went from selling car aerials from the back of his minivan to becoming one of the most recognisable faces

Sep 14
45 min

The Batista brothers: Meat and money

From a small Brazilian butcher’s shop to the world’s largest meat empire, Wesley and Joesley Batista built a global powerhouse feeding millions every day. Journalist Zing

Aug 3
39 min

Tao Huabi: Crispy chilli godmother

Tao Huabi grew up in childhood poverty in the province of Guizhou in southwestern China, but would one day become a household name in her home country. Her Lao Gan Ma bra

Jul 27
35 min

Sir Paul McCartney: The rich one - Live at Crossed Wires

He enjoyed a spectacular rise in The Beatles, and went on to become a gold-plated member of British music royalty. Hear how Paul McCartney, one of the last century’s defi

Jul 20
42 min

Reed Hastings: Netflix’s co-founder and media disruptor

As co-founder of Netflix, Reed Hastings is responsible for one of the most recognisable brands in the world. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng rec

Jul 13
43 min

Roger Federer: The billion-dollar backhand

Roger Federer isn’t just one of the greatest tennis players of all time - he’s also one of the richest. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow h

Jul 6
37 min

Luana Lopes Lara: Prediction market payout

Luana Lopes Lara, the co-founder of prediction market platform Kalshi, went from the Bolshoi ballet school in Brazil to becoming the world’s youngest female self-made bil

Jun 29
45 min

MrBeast: The business of going viral

Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, transformed himself from a teenager obsessing over YouTube's algorithms, into one of the most influential digital entrepreneurs

Jun 22
46 min

Cristiano Ronaldo: Football's first billionaire player

Cristiano Ronaldo grew up in poverty on the remote island of Madeira, but became football's first billionaire player, and one of the most recognisable people on the plane

Jun 15
43 min

Steven Spielberg: Directing dreams and deals

Steven Spielberg always felt like an outsider, but became the most commercially successful movie director in history. His hits, including ET, Indiana Jones and Jurassic P

Jun 8
42 min

Beyoncé: The business of Queen B

Beyoncé started out as a little girl competing in local talent shows, but over the course of a 30-year career in music she transformed herself into a mogul worth $1 billi

Jun 1
44 min

Trailer

Simon and Zing are back to tell you how another batch of billionaires made their money. From people who've recently joined this most exclusive of clubs - like Beyoncé and

May 27
2 min

Toto Wolff: Mercedes's billion-dollar F1 boss

Toto Wolff is the most successful team principal in Formula One history. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out what drives him. From losing h

Mar 9
45 min

Ronnie Screwvala: The cable guy

Ronnie Screwvala changed the viewing habits of the world’s most populous country, India - but he started out selling toothbrushes. BBC business editor Simon Jack and jour

Mar 2
39 min

Larry Ellison: Winning the database wars

Larry Ellison’s business mantra is simple: “It is not sufficient that I succeed — everyone else must fail.” From humble beginnings as an adopted child in Chicago to becom

Feb 23
46 min

Elizabeth Holmes: From CEO to criminal

Once hailed as the next Steve Jobs, Elizabeth Holmes became the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire after founding Theranos, a startup that promised to revoluti

Feb 16
47 min

Peggy Cherng: Engineering a fast-food fortune

Peggy Cherng never set out to work in fast food, but her engineering mindset transformed how millions of Americans eat. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Sim

Feb 9
38 min

Ben Francis: UK’s youngest billionaire

How Ben Francis went from pizza delivery boy to the UK’s youngest billionaire, by founding sportswear brand Gymshark. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing T

Feb 2
45 min

Lucy Guo: The woman training AI

She skateboards to work, has a skydiving license, and was the world’s youngest self-made female billionaire. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC Business Editor Simon Jack tel

Jan 26
41 min

Elon Musk: You decide!

It’s time to hear what you, our listeners, think of Elon Musk. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack read your feedback to our Elon Musk episode: do y

Jan 23
16 min

Chart trend

Position in the Entrepreneurship chart (US), last 90 days.

#1#100#198JunJulAugSep

#16

all-time peak

190

days in the top 50 since Nov 2024

Chart positions

Where Good Bad Billionaire ranks today in each Apple Podcasts chart (US, Sep 16, 2026).

#134 ▼ 16 Entrepreneurship US

What listeners say

A curated, balanced selection of Apple Podcasts reviews.

I’ve listened to Good Bad Billionaire since the beginning and find it gets better and better each season. Simon and Zing’s individual self confidence and mutual respect results in a positive chemistry that is enjoyable to listen to. I’m not particularly interested in billionaires or celebrities but I do appreciate being informed about people outside my usual focus thanks to Simon and Zing.

Jmmillett · Mar 2025

It's an interesting idea for a podcast, but the subject research is surface level at best. These almost exclusively right-wing billionaires seem to get a free pass because the research and context of how they made their money is just not looked into very deeply. There's almost nothing on the ramifications of what these billionaires do to society.

KRCarraway · Sep 2024

I’m enjoying this podcast so much! The subject matter is fascinating! If you want to learn more about the very richest people on the planet and how they got there, this is the listen for you. The hosts are so professional and they never waste time with boring personal chitchat as so many podcasts tend to do. They get right into their subject and present the information in a riveting and entertaining style that keeps me glued start to finish. They adhere to the same format for each podcast. A brief biography is presented, you learn how each person achieves her or his first million dollars, and then how they leap forward to billionaire status. The hosts then have certain criteria by which they judge each subject and eventually declare them either a good or a bad billionaire. Each host brings a different perspective, so hearing them discuss their ratings for each billionaire per category is fun and you’ll find yourself weighing in with your own views, too. Some billionaires are people we’re familiar with from the news, TV, etc, and some I learned about for the first time. It’s just fascinating to see which forces converge in an ordinary person’s life to help make them become extraordinary. I can’t praise these two hosts highly enough! They keep the information in each episode fresh and enjoyable and moving forward, and together they present a very complete picture of these fabulously wealthy people. If you’re even a bit curious about the billionaires’ paths of success please give this podcast a listen. Good Bad Billionaire. You won’t be disappointed, I promise!

jem922 · Aug 2024

I love this podcast! I always learn something - not just about the people, but also how various economic systems work. This is a top podcast for me and I recommend it all the time. Can’t wait for a Judith Faulkner episode. Keep it going!

kvobrien · Feb 2024

We strive to present a balanced view by showing a diverse range of reviews from Apple Podcasts.