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BBC World Service · Business

Good Bad Billionaire

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 [email protected] 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

Episodes

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Coming soon: More tales of the mega-rich

19 Sep 2025
1m
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This is a trailer for a new season of the BBC World Service podcast "Good Bad Billionaire." Hosts Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack introduce the upcoming season, which will explore the stories of various billionaires, including Arnold Schwarzenegger, David Geffen, Ronnie Screwvala, Sarah Blakely, and Luciana Benetton, acros...

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Encore - Film Stories: George Lucas and Peter Jackson

08 Sep 2025
1h 4m
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"Good Bad Billionaire" is a podcast that explores the lives and fortunes of billionaires, with hosts Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack. This episode focuses on two film directors: George Lucas and Peter Jackson, detailing their journeys to becoming billionaires through their successful film franchises like Star Wars and Lord ...

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The dead billionaires: What do you think?

27 Aug 2025
10m
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In this special mini-episode of "Good Bad Billionaire," hosts Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack share and discuss feedback from listeners regarding their recent mini-series on dead American billionaires (John D Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, Sam Walton, and Hetty Green). Listeners from various locations like Ireland,...

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Hetty Green: The 'witch' of Wall Street

04 Aug 2025
47m
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In this episode of "Good Bad Billionaire," Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack explore the life of Hetty Green, a 19th and 20th-century American businesswoman known as the "Witch of Wall Street." The hosts discuss Green's upbringing in a wealthy Quaker family, her early exposure to finance, and her unique investment strategies,...

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Sam Walton: Walmart’s founder

28 Jul 2025
44m
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In this episode of "Good Bad Dead Billionaire," Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng delve into the life of Sam Walton, the founder of Walmart, tracing his journey from humble beginnings in rural Oklahoma to becoming one of the richest men in America. They explore his early entrepreneurial ventures, his innovative approach to re...

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Howard Hughes: Eccentric aviator

21 Jul 2025
45m
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In this episode of "Good Bad Billionaire," Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack delve into the life of Howard Hughes, exploring his journey from a privileged childhood to becoming one of the wealthiest and most eccentric figures in American history. They discuss his early passions, his success in Hollywood and aviation, and his ...

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Henry Ford: Putting the world on wheels

14 Jul 2025
52m
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In this episode of "Good Bad Billionaire," Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng delve into the life and legacy of Henry Ford, exploring his journey from a farm to becoming a billionaire who revolutionized the automobile industry. They discuss Ford's early life, his innovative assembly line, the Model T's impact on American socie...

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John D Rockefeller: The first billionaire

07 Jul 2025
47m
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In this episode of "Good Bad Billionaire," Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng delve into the life of John D. Rockefeller, the first billionaire, exploring his rise to wealth through Standard Oil and his complex legacy as both a ruthless businessman and a philanthropist. They discuss his early life, business tactics like vertic...

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Coming soon: Good Bad Dead Billionaire

23 Jun 2025
1m
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This podcast episode is a mini-season of "Good Bad Billionaire," focusing on the lives of five deceased American billionaires: John D. Rockefeller, Henry Ford, Howard Hughes, and others. The hosts, Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng, introduce the season and its theme, inviting listeners to share their opinions on whether the...

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Eike Batista: Golden grifter

02 Jun 2025
40m
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"Good Bad Billionaire" is a podcast where hosts Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng discuss the life and career of Eike Batista, a Brazilian businessman who rose to become the seventh richest person in the world before facing a dramatic fall from grace due to corruption charges and mismanagement of his business empire. The host...

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LeBron James: King of the court

26 May 2025
48m
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In this episode of "Good Bad Billionaire," Zing Tsjeng and Simon Jack delve into the life and career of LeBron James, examining his journey from a challenging upbringing in Akron, Ohio, to becoming the first active NBA player to achieve billionaire status. The hosts explore James' early life, his rise to basketball sta...

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Masayoshi Son: High-tech gambler

19 May 2025
44m
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This episode explores the life and career of Masayoshi Son, the founder of SoftBank, examining his journey from humble beginnings as a third-generation Zainichi in Japan to becoming a billionaire and a major player in the tech investment world. Against the backdrop of discrimination and early hardships, Son displayed r...

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Strive Masiyiwa: Connecting a continent

12 May 2025
42m
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This episode explores the life and career of Strive Masiyiwa, Zimbabwe's first billionaire, focusing on his entrepreneurial journey in the face of political and economic turmoil. Against the backdrop of Zimbabwe's transition from Southern Rhodesia to an independent nation under Robert Mugabe, Masiyiwa's early business ...

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Ike Perlmutter: Marvel’s empire builder

05 May 2025
46m
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This episode explores the life and career of Isaac Perlmutter, a relatively unknown billionaire who played a pivotal role in Marvel's rise to prominence. Against the backdrop of Marvel's 1990s bankruptcy, Perlmutter, initially an outsider, strategically acquired Toy Biz and leveraged its Marvel licensing rights. More ...

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Selena Gomez: Actress, singer, beauty mogul

28 Apr 2025
47m
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This episode explores the journey of Selena Gomez from child star to billionaire businesswoman and mental health advocate. Against the backdrop of her humble beginnings and a challenging upbringing, Gomez's early success on Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place" propelled her into the spotlight, but also brought i...

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Orlando Bravo: Tech dealmaker

21 Apr 2025
46m
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This episode explores the life and career of Orlando Bravo, the first Puerto Rican-born billionaire, and analyzes his journey from a privileged background to becoming a major player in the private equity world. Against the backdrop of his early success in tennis and subsequent education at Brown and Stanford Universiti...

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Vince McMahon: Wrestling's ringmaster

14 Apr 2025
48m
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This episode explores the life and career of Vince McMahon, the former owner of WWE, and his transformation of professional wrestling from a niche sport into a multi-billion dollar industry. Against the backdrop of a challenging childhood, McMahon's early involvement in his father's wrestling company laid the groundwo...

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Markus Persson: Minecraft maker

07 Apr 2025
46m
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This episode explores the life and career of Markus Persson, the creator of Minecraft, examining his journey from a lone coder to a billionaire. Against the backdrop of a challenging childhood and the burst dot-com bubble, Persson's passion for programming and gaming led him to create Minecraft, a game initially develo...

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John de Mol: Big Brother’s daddy

31 Mar 2025
41m
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This episode explores the life and career of John de Mol, the Dutch media mogul behind Big Brother. Against the backdrop of his family's show business history and his own early struggles in the industry, the podcast traces de Mol's journey from a teenager working in pirate radio to becoming a billionaire. More signifi...

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Sir James Dyson: Sucking up the cash

24 Mar 2025
46m
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This episode of "Good Bad Billionaire" profiles Sir James Dyson, exploring his journey from a struggling inventor to a billionaire. The podcast traces his career, highlighting key moments like his invention of the ballbarrow, his relentless pursuit of a bagless vacuum cleaner (involving over 5,000 prototypes), and his...

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