Episode notes
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 his journey: from a fiery, racket-smashing junior in Switzerland to the calm, composed global icon who conquered Wimbledon, and the world of endorsements. With over 20 Grand Slam titles and more than $100 million in prize money, Federer’s sporting success was extraordinary, but it wasn’t enough to make him a billionaire. So how did he do it? The answer lies off the court: luxury sponsorships, savvy brand management, and a…
Good Bad Billionaire
by BBC World Service · English · Business
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,…
More from Good Bad Billionaire
-
27 Jul 2026 · 35 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 brand, famous for its crispy chilli oil, is a staple in China and fast becoming one globally. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng track the remarkable story of how an illiterate widow fought to survive single motherhood and become one of the most iconic figures of female entrepreneurship in China today. Hear how Tao Huabi’s own recipe became a crowd favourite at her humble food stall and turned into a…
-
20 Jul 2026 · 43 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 defining songwriters, became the UK's first billionaire rock star along the way. But how much of Paul McCartney’s cash comes from royalties, tours or his ownership of other artists’ back catalogues? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng track Macca’s journey from his working-class Liverpudlian roots, through his incredible career in music, to joining the global financial elite. Recorded live at the Crossed…
-
13 Jul 2026 · 44 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 recount how he evolved Netflix from a DVD-by-mail rental service to the streaming giant responsible for bringing Stranger Things, Bridgerton and Squid Game to our screens. Along the way, Netflix transformed the way we watched TV, and disrupted the world of film distribution. Netflix is now a giant in the industry, and Reed Hastings' personal stake has made him a billionaire. But has his tech entrepreneurial lens for film and TV…
-
29 Jun 2026 · 45 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 billionaire. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how - in today's online world - literally anything can become a tradeable asset. Thanks to early investment, Luana Lopes Lara and her business partner Tarek Mansour convinced US regulators that making bets on real-world events was a form of trading rather than gambling. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and…
-
22 Jun 2026 · 46 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 on the planet. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow his ascent from making Minecraft videos in his bedroom, to ever-larger challenges, eye-watering cash prizes, and headline-grabbing acts of philanthropy. Is MrBeast a visionary entrepreneur who reinvented entertainment for the internet generation, or has he simply mastered the art of turning clicks into cash? Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast…
-
15 Jun 2026 · 44 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 planet. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace Ronaldo's rise from a homesick kid playing for the academy at Sporting CP, to global superstardom at Manchester United and Real Madrid, where relentless training and record-breaking performances turned him into a sporting and commercial machine. Zing and Simon explore the business of modern football: from mega transfers and billion-dollar brand deals, to tax…
-
5 Oct 2026 · 45 min
Nelson Peltz: Junk bond activist
Nelson Peltz made his money via some contentious methods - junk bonds, corporate raids, leveraged buyouts and activist investing - but he is most famous because his daughter Nicola married a Beckham. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow Peltz’s career from dropping out of school to become a ski bum, to making a billion investing in some of the some of the world’s most famous brands, including Snapple, Heinz, Procter & Gamble, Cadbury, Tiffany & Co, and PepsiCo. They discover a man who doesn’t like to be told what to do, and who is always up for a (proxy) battle.…
-
28 Sep 2026 · 39 min
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal: The billionaire royal
Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is a billionaire Saudi prince who insists he’s self-made. He champions women's rights, yet is a member of one of the world’s most traditional ruling families. He built his fortune betting on western giants like Citicorp and Apple, but is a prominent member of the House of Saud. Journalist Zing Tseng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's journey to becoming one of the world's shrewdest investors. Along the way, they explore the deals that built his fortune, the questions that have followed it, and the extraordinary moment he found…
-
21 Sep 2026 · 39 min
Sheryl Sandberg: Chief operator
As COO of Facebook, then Meta, Sheryl Sandberg is a rarity among billionaires. She made her money as an employee rather than as a founder, creator, or company owner. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow Sandberg’s career, from running aerobics classes in her teens to overseeing one of the world’s biggest corporations. She spent time in government before taking a role at startup called Google, before positioning herself as a spokesperson for female leadership with her book Lean In. Good Bad Billionaire is the podcast that explores the lives of the super-rich and…
-
14 Sep 2026 · 45 min
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 of UK business. First with his consumer electrics company Amstrad, then as the frontman of the UK version of The Apprentice. Journalist Zing Tseng and BBC Business Editor Simon Jack explore Lord Sugar's many entrepreneurial avenues: from consumer electronics to football; politics to property; and of course, TV fame. As one listener asks: “Does his blunt, old-school style represent authentic entrepreneurship or outdated…
