logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2025
41m 7s

John de Mol: Big Brother’s daddy

Bbc World Service
About this episode

By reinventing reality TV, John de Mol changed television history and made a billion dollars. He’s the father of Big Brother and the man behind The Voice, Deal or No Deal and Fear Factor. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how the Dutch TV producer became a media tycoon, after using his showbiz connections to break into pirate radio, then TV. He went on to found one of the biggest production companies in the world: Endemol.

Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast exploring the lives of the super-rich and famous, tracking their wealth, philanthropy, business ethics and success. There are leaders who made their money in Silicon Valley, on Wall Street and in high street fashion. From iconic celebrities and CEOs to titans of technology, the podcast unravels tales of fortune, power, economics, ambition and moral responsibility, before inviting you to make up your own mind: are they good, bad or just another billionaire?

Up next
Oct 6
Arnold Schwarzenegger: Muscles, movies, money
How bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger went from Mr Universe to all-action cinematic superstar and billionaire investor.BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng take us back to Schwarzenegger’s youth in post-war Austria and a childhood marked by poverty. Bodybuild ... Show More
46m 39s
Sep 19
Coming soon: More tales of the mega-rich
Film stars, tech bros, shipping magnates and online retail giants... BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng introduce the latest batch of billionaires whose stories they will uncover in their new season, starting 6 October.Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast th ... Show More
1m 42s
Sep 8
Encore - Film Stories: George Lucas and Peter Jackson
George Lucas created Star Wars and Peter Jackson directed the Lord of the Rings films, two of the movie world’s most epic adventures. Ahead of a new season of Good Bad Billionaire, presented by Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack, here’s another chance to hear how thes ... Show More
1h 4m
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2025
How Tommy Mello Became a Billionaire Painting Garage Doors (And How He Shares the Wealth)
What does it take to turn a blue-collar business into a billion-dollar empire?For Tommy Mello, the answer is simple: relentless competition, strategic investing, and an unwavering commitment to winning. From painting garage doors to building A1 Garage Doors into a massive industr ... Show More
30m 47s
Nov 2018
Rob Hardy Full Interview
Appearing on this episode of Money Making Conversations is Rob Hardy - TV & Film Director, Producer & Writer, currently, Directing CW’s “All American”. Each Money Making Conversations show hosted by Rushion McDonald is about entrepreneurship and entertainment. We provide the cons ... Show More
22m 28s
May 2020
Anne Burrell Full Interview
Appearing on this episode of Money Making Conversations is Anne Burrell, Chef, Food Network Star, Host on “Worst Cooks in America: Celebrity Edition.” The Money Making Conversations talk show is about entrepreneurship and entertainment. The interviews give the consumer and busine ... Show More
20m 8s
Oct 2024
"I Thought I Had the Midas Touch": How an $80M Success Led to a Major Failure
Can success create a false sense of invincibility? For Pete, it did—and it cost him millions.After selling his business for $80 million, Pete felt unstoppable. But his overconfidence led him into a risky venture that didn’t pay off. Determined to prove he wasn’t a one-hit wonder, ... Show More
38m 16s
Dec 2024
A $2.5B Exit and The Risks Nobody Talks About
What happens when wealth pushes your relationships to the limit?Navigating life after a massive financial windfall isn’t easy—it can transform your life, your marriage, and your happiness in unexpected ways.Our guest, Chuck, shares his story of selling his company for $2.5 billio ... Show More
35m 4s
Feb 2025
Elon Musk's Acquisition Made Me $50M, But Fatherhood Redefined My Life
What if the key to success wasn’t grinding harder—but learning to let go? Chris Bakke made 10s of millions selling two companies, including one to Elon Musk’s Twitter. But after years of chasing big wins, something changed: he had kids. And suddenly, the drive that once defined h ... Show More
46m 31s
Mar 2025
83. Game Show Winnings
How do TV producers decide how much money to give away? A little psychology and a lot of math. Zachary Crockett phones a friend. SOURCES:Bowen Kerins, math teacher and former contestant on Who Wants to Be A Millionaire.Arthur Smith, CEO of A. Smith & Co. Productions and author of ... Show More
19m 9s
Aug 29
Joe Kawkabani on Piracy, Trust and the Fight for the Future of TV
What happens when a private equity investor steps into the media world and takes charge of one of the Middle East’s most iconic entertainment brands? In this unmissable episode of Luca’s Insight Track, Luca sits down with Joe Kawkabani, former CEO of OSN, for a raw and thought-pr ... Show More
1h 9m
Feb 2025
"I Fast-Forwarded My Life 10 Years”: How Geo-Arbitrage 3X’d My Wealth and Changed My Life
What if you could fast-forward your financial goals by ten years just by moving abroad? That’s exactly what entrepreneur Rob Hoffman did when he relocated to Colombia, where his $3M net worth stretches as if it’s $9M. Rob, a member of the Hampton community, shares how he built a ... Show More
32m 6s
Feb 2025
Not Like Us: How Billionaires Think
As billionaires hoard more control over our politics, it seems more important than ever to ask: What makes them tick? Four reporters gather after hours at a wine shop to discuss – over drinks – what they’ve learned from covering billionaires for years, and how it can help us hoi ... Show More
40m 4s