Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett has come beneath hearth over feedback made on his podcast, Diary Of A CEO.
The entrepreneur, 33, launched the podcast in 2017 and has gone on to interview an array of enterprise moguls, teachers and celebrities, with the episodes mentioned to achieve three million every day listeners and viewers.
Nevertheless, one episode has gone viral for all of the mistaken causes, with Steven strongly criticised for suggesting that society ought to ‘intervene’ with partnering up incel males with ladies.
Throughout a dialogue with psychologist Dr Alok Kanojia, the pair focus on the male loneliness epidemic, mentioning that incels – involuntary celibate males – will go extinct in the event that they’re unable to discover a associate and reproduce.
He mentioned: ‘We will have plenty of males who’re disillusioned that change into incels, discover themselves in pockets of the web, are resentful. All these sorts of issues.
‘Ought to society intervene to course appropriate that put techniques in place to ensure that these males meet companions?’
It is the newest in a collection of missteps, alleged half-truths and controversies which have plagued the host since he shot to fame in early 2022 because the youngest Dragon investor, together with claims from an ex-colleague who complains of ‘dishonesty’ on the coronary heart of his empire, which you can learn extra about right here.
Dragons’ Den star Steven Bartlett has come beneath hearth over feedback made on his podcast, Diary Of A CEO, which have been accused of being anti-women
Content material creator Shabaz Ali has garnered celeb assist after he supplied his tackle the podcast as an entire, joking it must be renamed ‘Remedy for Males, sponsored by Ladies Destroy Society’.
Shabaz mused: ‘This podcast was once about like enterprise, mindset, trauma, basically let’s heal collectively and get wealthy responsibly.
‘Nevertheless, there appears to be this shift the place it is change into blame ladies for males’s issues.’
Referring to Steven’s feedback about supporting incels, Shabaz mentioned: ‘Males’s loneliness is actual, males’s psychological well being is actual.
‘However what can be actual is when a podcast begins to offer Manosphere concepts a hoop mild and a hug… simply since you say it calmly and softly and have this good background doesn’t make the dialog loopy.
‘So that you get a visitor approaching going, “Fashionable feminism is the explanation why beginning charges are falling, or relationship is damaged as a result of ladies have gotten requirements now.”
‘It comes with, “wow, that is so highly effective, inform me extra”. No pushback, no what’s your proof, no is that really true?
‘For this reason lots of people have known as him like a Computer virus, proper, as a result of it is not the identical as Andrew Tate standing up there shouting and screaming. This has acquired a remedy vibe to it.’
Shabaz went on to assert the podcast was ‘not balanced or impartial’ and was as a substitute ‘serving up the identical narrative time and again’.
He concluded: ‘I am not saying that his visitors cannot have opinions, it is simply the difficult will not be carried out. The always platforming the identical dialog will not be doing any favours to anybody, particularly ladies.’
The Every day Mail understands that the C-suite of Steven’s firm are all feminine.
It is the newest in a collection of missteps, alleged half-truths and controversies which have plagued the host since he shot to fame in early 2022 because the youngest Dragon investor (pictured on Dragons’ Den)
Throughout a dialogue with psychologist Dr Alok Kanojia, the pair mentioned the male loneliness epidemic, mentioning incels will go extinct in the event that they’re unable to discover a associate and reproduce
A spokesman for Diary Of A CEO advised Every day Mail: ‘The Diary Of A CEO is a long-form, conversational podcast designed to discover the views and experiences of its visitors in their very own phrases.
‘Inviting a visitor is an act of inquiry, not endorsement. Steven Bartlett doesn’t undertake the opinions of his visitors, neither is the format meant to cross judgment on private viewpoints.
‘To recommend {that a} host is chargeable for each view expressed by a visitor is a elementary misunderstanding of the long-form interview format.’
Relating to strategies that the podcast is a part of the Proper-wing manosphere, they added: ‘DOAC options visitors from throughout all the political and cultural spectrum. In current months alone, visitors have included Michelle Obama, Kamala Harris, Gavin Newsom, and a but to be revealed dialog with Zohran Mamdani.
‘The podcast’s archive is a matter of public document and disproves this declare immediately.’
Shabaz was flooded with assist from his celeb followers, together with Oti Mabuse, who admitted she was as soon as a fan of the podcast.
‘He’s so disappointing in some ways,’ she commented. ‘I used to find it irresistible a lot.’
Vicky Pattison penned: ‘Insightful, highly effective and fantastically articulated…. he is actually disappointing,’ whereas Ulrika Jonsson added: ‘Amen.’
Ferne McCann voiced her assist with clapping emojis, whereas BBC radio DJ Sara Cox posted a praising arms emoji and The Traitors star Charlotte Chilton commented: ‘Haha love this’.
Radio 1’s Greg James penned: ‘It’s been hurtling in direction of this harmful s***e for ages.
‘What’s everybody’s favorite episode? Mine is the one the place an “professional” claimed autism may very well be reversed by weight-reduction plan. Oh and the one which mentioned Covid was an engineered weapon. Neither declare was challenged. Nice stuff.
‘I’ll be elevating a refreshing glass of Huel to him this night.’
A spokesman for the podcast beforehand advised The Mail on Sunday that ‘Steven Bartlett doesn’t undertake the opinions of his visitors, neither is the format meant to cross judgment on private viewpoints’.
The Every day Mail has contacted Steven’s representatives for remark.
Content material creator Shabaz Ali has garnered celeb assist after he supplied his tackle the podcast as an entire, joking it must be renamed ‘Remedy for Males, sponsored by Ladies Destroy Society’
Shabaz was flooded with assist from his celeb followers, together with Oti Mabuse, who admitted she was as soon as a fan of the podcast however was now ‘upset’ with the host
But this is not the primary time Steven has been accused of sharing dangerous info.
In 2024, Steven was condemned by high well being consultants for sharing dangerous well being info on his podcast that would put most cancers sufferers in danger.
Visitors on the podcast claimed most cancers could be handled by following a keto weight-reduction plan, and that the Covid vaccine was a ‘internet adverse for society’.
Consultants slammed the star for failing to query these disproven claims, and making a mistrust of standard medication consequently.
A BBC World Service investigation additionally seemed into the accuracy of well being info featured on Diary of A CEO.
The broadcaster analysed 23 health-related podcast episodes and located 15 contained a mean of 14 dangerous claims that went towards scientific proof.
The misinformation was allowed with ‘little to no problem’ by the entrepreneur.
Whereas Steven has discovered his skilled life come beneath hearth, he’s happier than ever with regards to his private affairs.
Steven is newly engaged to Melanie Lopes after the Every day Mail revealed the pair acquired engaged on Christmas Day whereas on vacation along with her household in Morocco.
The entrepreneur shared snaps on Instagram that confirmed the gorgeous out of doors set-up, which included a hut the place the enterprise mogul proposed, as he defined how he’d requested her dad and mom for permission earlier than shocking her on the journey in Marrakech.
Within the caption, he admitted his ‘coronary heart was racing’ as he acquired down on one knee, and confessed he ‘did not actually perceive the idea of marriage’ earlier than he met Melanie.
The snaps confirmed the second Melanie accepted Steven’s proposal, earlier than emotionally reuniting along with her household to point out them her diamond ring.
Steven and Melanie met on Instagram in 2016, however regardless of their careers being closely targeted on social media, they’ve chosen to maintain their romance largely out of the general public eye.
In his publish, Steven wrote: ‘She mentioned Sure! To say I used to be nervous is an understatement… I might really feel my coronary heart racing in my chest.
‘She thought I used to be away in Europe – however I had snuck into Morocco on Christmas day the place she was on vacation along with her household – I requested her mom and father if I might marry her – then needed to construct this massive hut exterior as a result of a thunderstorm was forecast final minute – and I walked out and shocked her when she thought she was assembly her fam for dinner.
’10 years in the past, I didn’t actually perceive the idea of marriage as lots of you realize – however whenever you meet the suitable individual, plenty of issues begin to make sense.’
Steven not too long ago shared snaps from his romantic proposal to his girlfriend Melanie Lopes, after the Every day Mail revealed the pair had acquired engaged on Christmas Day
Steven, who moved to the UK from Botswana on the age of two, dropped out of college at 18 to pursue his ambitions as a businessman.
He fell out along with his dad and mom, significantly his mom, who was ‘heartbroken’ after believing Steven had thrown away the training she by no means had rising up.
Nevertheless, Steven discovered success along with his social media advertising and marketing company, The Social Chain, which was valued at £300million when it first entered the inventory market.
He’s set for a busy yr; alongside wedding ceremony planning, Steven will return to the upcoming collection of Dragons’ Den and proceed recording his podcast.
In October final yr, his firm Steven.com, which homes his media ventures, together with the agency Flight Story, was valued at £320million.
Steven has mentioned it will assist him ‘construct the Disney of the creator economic system,’ referring to the multi-billion-pound business of influencers who make a residing by streaming and posting on TikTok, Instagram, Twitch, and YouTube.
