Good Bad Billionaire podcast | Listen online for free

97 episodes

Trailer
27/05/2026 | 2 mins.
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 Mr Beast - to some of the most established names in entertainment, including Sir Paul McCartney and Steven Spielberg, Simon and Zing will track their rise to a million and then onto their first billion. It's then time for our unscientific scoring on wealth, controversy, power, and legacy, before we ask you to decide whether they're good, bad, or just another billionaire.
This season we'll be delving into the worlds of tennis, tech, food, football and TV streaming, as well as exploring the woman behind the most famous crispy chilli oil in the world. And if you've got any names you'd like us to cover, see how to get in touch below.
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 of comment 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
The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part three
29/04/2026 | 20 mins.
Simon and Zing bring you the third episode of Inheritance: Samsung, where a betrayal shakes up the succession. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global empires. When your relatives are also your business partners, every decision is personal. In these dynasties, the boardroom isn’t just about profit - it’s about survival.
Host: Elise Hu
Producers: Simon Tulett and Sally Abrahams
Fact-checkers: Matt Toulson and Su-Min Hwang
Music: Thomas Ross Fitzsimons
Mixing and sound design: Charlie Brandon-King
Series editor: Matt Willis
With special thanks to Geoffrey Cain, Sojin Lim, Jaeyeon Lee, Jake Kwon and Mary Wilkinson
Senior commissioning producer: Sarah Green
Commissioning editor: Jon Manel
Inheritance: Samsung is a BBC Long Form Audio production
The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part two
29/04/2026 | 25 mins.
The second episode of Inheritance: Samsung sees the company grow into a global tech giant. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global empires. When your relatives are also your business partners, every decision is personal. In these dynasties, the boardroom isn’t just about profit - it’s about survival.
Host: Elise Hu
Producers: Simon Tulett and Sally Abrahams
Fact-checkers: Matt Toulson and Su-Min Hwang
Music: Thomas Ross Fitzsimons
Mixing and sound design: Charlie Brandon-King
Series editor: Matt Willis
With special thanks to Geoffrey Cain, Sojin Lim, Jaeyeon Lee, Jake Kwon and Mary Wilkinson
Senior commissioning producer: Sarah Green
Commissioning editor: Jon Manel
Inheritance: Samsung is a BBC Long Form Audio production
The Lee family (from Inheritance: Samsung): Part one
29/04/2026 | 27 mins.
Simon and Zing introduce the first episode of a brand-new podcast, Inheritance: Samsung. The series takes you inside the billion-dollar deals and the family power struggles that shape global empires. When your relatives are also your business partners, every decision is personal. In these dynasties, the boardroom isn’t just about profit - it’s about survival.
Host: Elise Hu
Producers: Simon Tulett and Sally Abrahams
Fact-checkers: Matt Toulson and Su-Min Hwang
Music: Thomas Ross Fitzsimons
Mixing and sound design: Charlie Brandon-King.
Series editor: Matt Willis
With special thanks to Geoffrey Cain, Sojin Lim, Jaeyeon Lee, Jake Kwon and, also, Mary Wilkinson.
Senior commissioning producer: Sarah Green
Commissioning editor: Jon Manel
Inheritance is a BBC Long Form Audio production
Toto Wolff: Mercedes's billion-dollar F1 boss
09/03/2026 | 45 mins.
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 his father and abandoning his own racing dreams, Toto Wolff redirected his love of risk and need for control into venture capital, making millions during the early tech boom.

But Toto Wolff couldn’t stay away from motorsport. After a crash that almost killed him, he got involved in the business of the sport, ultimately transforming Mercedes-AMG Petronas Formula One into one of the most valuable teams in the sport, alongside his driver and friend Lewis Hamilton.

Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores 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. Simon and Zing put their subjects to the test with a playful, totally unscientific scorecard — then hand the verdict over to you: are they good, bad, or simply billionaires? Here's how to contact the team: email [email protected] or send a text or WhatsApp to +1 (917) 686-1176. Find out more about the show and read our privacy notice at www.bbcworldservice.com/goodbadbillionaire

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About Good Bad Billionaire

How did the richest people on the planet make their billions? Find out with the Good Bad Billionaire podcast, and then have your say about whether you think they are good, bad or just another billionaire.Latest episodes: Toto Wolff, Elizabeth Holmes and Elon Musk.In each episode of Good Bad Billionaire, 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 Kim Kardashian, Tyler Perry and Oprah Winfrey.From singing superstar Beyoncé, to footballing legend Cristiano Ronaldo, Simon and Zing 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 of comment 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

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