The Diary of a CEO

The Diary of a CEO
GenreTalk
Format
  • Audio
  • video
LanguageEnglish
Cast and voices
Hosted bySteven Bartlett
Production
ProductionSteven Bartlett (2017–present)
Length1–2+ hours[1]
Technical specifications
Video formatYouTube
Audio formatPodcast (via streaming or downloadable MP3)
Publication
No. of episodes799 (as of February 13, 2026)[2]
Original releaseSeptember 29, 2017 (2017-09-29)
ProviderFlight Studio
Related
Websitestevenbartlett.com
YouTube information
Channel
Years active2019–present
Subscribers12.1 million
Views850 million
Last updated: July 19, 2025

The Diary of a CEO is a podcast hosted and produced by British entrepreneur and investor Steven Bartlett. The first episode was released on September 29, 2017. The first interview for the podcast was with fellow CEO Mark Stringer, and Bartlett has since gone on to interview an array of guests. The Diary of a CEO is one of the world's most popular podcasts, regularly receiving millions of views per episode, and topping podcast charts,[3] ranking No. 5 in the Spotify list of most popular podcasts globally in 2024.[4]

Format

The first episode of The Diary of a CEO was released in 2017 and was presented as the first chapter of Bartlett's diary in which he discussed what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Bartlett continued to discuss his own experience for the first five episodes.[5] The first episode in which Bartlett interviewed a guest was the sixth episode, with Mark Stringer, a CEO for a web and design based agency AHOY. Since then, episodes of the podcast commonly follow the format of interviews with celebrities, businessmen and businesswomen, entrepreneurs, actors and politicians.

The podcast is recorded for audio format but is also filmed and uploaded to YouTube.[6]

In August 2021, Steven Bartlett revealed that he made $1.2 million a year from The Diary of a CEO, and Bartlett stated at the time that his "three key sponsors and other sponsors pay varying fees depending".[7]

In 2024, Steven Bartlett became co-founder and Chairman of podcast media and technology company Flight Studio, and Flight Studio became the network for The Diary of a CEO.[8]

The Diary of a CEO started touring live shows in 2021, the first event was hosted in Manchester at the Albert Hall on July 28, 2021.[9]

Audience

In 2022, The Diary of a CEO reached over 10 million downloads in one month, for the first time, and its top three episodes that year all exceeded 3 million downloads.[10] According to Chartable, The Diary of a CEO was the UK's most downloaded podcast on all audio platforms in 2022.[10] According to Edison Podcast Metrics, The Diary of a CEO is the biggest podcast in the UK.[11] The podcast has become the first UK podcast to reach one billion views and listens (across Apple, Spotify and YouTube).[12] The Diary of a CEO was included in the top 5 podcasts globally on Spotify in 2024.[4]

Reception

Sarah Manavis for the New Statesman has been critical of The Diary of a CEO, and writes, citing Bartlett's interview with influencer Molly-Mae Hague, that "he was more interested in sharing his own thoughts than listening to hers."[6] In a review for The British Psychological Society magazine The Psychologist in 2022, Imogen Keites is positive and says "Steven explores people's lives in a human way" and writes it is "a podcast about the human mind."[13] The Telegraph said it was "formulaic" but a "stone cold smash."[14]

The Telegraph awarded the show 2/5 stars when it was performed at the London Palladium in 2022 stating "Bartlett hands down well-worn wisdom – work-life balance is tough, relationships need good communication – with the portentousness of Moses unveiling the stone tablets."[15]

In an article for The Times in 2023, James Marriott gave the podcast 2/5 stars and said "The Diary of a CEO is probably best described as a self-help show; encouraging, motivational, vaguely businessy" and wrote "[...] there's also a lot of unearned self-seriousness, a surfeit of platitudes and banal introspection."[16] In a mixed review for The Guardian in 2022, Miranda Sawyer criticised Bartlett's hosting style saying his "manner is superior, as though he, and only he, understands the real truth" but also writing that "each interviewee is immensely happy to be there and willing to spill whatever beans are needed."[17] Sawyer later wrote in a 2023 review for The Guardian that The Diary of a CEO is "a high-class one, hosted by a superb interviewer – but the flimsy format means it's occasionally wobbly."[18]

Wired included The Diary of a CEO on their list of the best podcasts of 2025, describing it as initiating "sprawling discussions."[19] In June 2025, The Times reported that The Diary of a CEO is the fastest growing podcast in the world, adding 300,000 - 500,000 new subscribers per month.[20]

The New Statesman gave a negative review of The Diary of a CEO with Clive Martin labelling Bartlett's style as "bland" and "pseudo-motivational" and said the podcast is a "fascinating exercise in bluff."[21]

The Diary of a CEO has been criticized for featuring guests associated with alternative medicine whose claims are not supported by scientific evidence or contradict established medical consensus.[22] The podcast has also been criticized for hosting guests who have promoted medical misinformation, with critics noting that such claims were not consistently challenged by the host.[22][23] In 2024, the BBC World Service investigated these claims, citing an episode in which Bartlett interviewed Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist accused of spreading misinformation in opposition to COVID-19 vaccines and criticising Bartlett for not challenging Malhotra and for using clickbait titles related to health. The BBC World Service review analysed 23 health-related episodes released between April and November 2024 and found that 15 which contained potentially harmful claims. The investigation also noted that podcasts are not regulated by Ofcom and are therefore not subject to its standards on accuracy and impartiality.[24][25]

It was also criticised when it hosted Chris Williamson in 2025 who directly criticised the TikTok influencer, 'The Girl With The List'. Williamson said: “I certainly think that there is a anti-family message that comes about, that there's a girl with the list on TikTok, which I think is this girl who wrote 350 reasons to not have kids.”[26][27][28][29] and Yahoo News[30].

In March 2025, The Diary Of A CEO podcast won the Best International Podcast award at iHeartRadio podcast awards.[31][32][33][34] Forbes reported that the podcast had passed one billion total streams and drew 50 million monthly listeners in December 2024. The same report said Bartlett declined an offer estimated to be worth $100 million to partner with an unnamed streaming platform.[35][36]

In June 2025, Forbes ranked Bartlett among the world's top 50 digital creators. He placed 9th for earnings and 11th overall.[37] In July 2025, Bartlett was named in Time magazine's inaugural "TIME100 Creators" list – branded by the publication as the 100 most influential digital voices in the world – appearing in the "Leaders" category for his work on The Diary of a CEO.[38]

In December 2025, Spotify announced that Bartlett's podcast The Diary Of A CEO had overtaken Joe Rogan to become Britain’s most popular on Spotify.[39][40]

In January 2026, Bartlett faced criticism following an interview with American psychiatrist Dr. Alok Kanojia, during which Bartlett asked Alok Kanojia whether society has a "responsibility to intervene" to help isolated men who might otherwise "die out" to "find partners".[41] Critics, accused Bartlett of "fuelling misogyny".[42] Brooke Ivey Johnson, writing in The Metro, suggested that "Bartlett is amplifying misogynistic ideas without sufficient challenge, with critics warning that their presentation as measured and non-controversial makes them especially insidious".[42] In response, Bartlett posted on LinkedIn claiming that his inquiry regarding "societal intervention" referred to "the implementation of mental health support frameworks".[43]

Awards

Award Date Category Recipient Result Ref.
British Podcast Award 2021 Best Business Podcast The Diary of a CEO silver [44]
iHeart Podcast Awards 2025 Best International Podcast The Diary of a CEO Won [45]

References

  1. ^ "The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett".
  2. ^ "The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett".
  3. ^ Khomami, Nadia (January 6, 2022). "How Steven Bartlett went from dropout to youngest ever Dragons' Den investor". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  4. ^ a b Huston, Caitlin (December 4, 2024). "Taylor Swift, Joe Rogan, Alex Cooper Top Spotify's 2024 Wrapped Lists". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  5. ^ Kate Samuelson (March 2, 2022). "Steven Bartlett: from dropout to millionaire podcast host". theweek. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  6. ^ a b Manavis, Sarah (March 14, 2022). "Steven Bartlett's self-help guide to helping himself". New Statesman. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  7. ^ Robinson, Jon (August 23, 2021). "Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett on how he makes $1.2m a year from his podcast". Business Live. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  8. ^ "Steven Bartlett Launches Flight Studio as he looks to revolutionise the Global Podcast Industry". Business Matters. April 23, 2024. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  9. ^ Robinson, Jon (August 2, 2021). "Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett's live show lights up Manchester's Albert Hall". Business Live. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  10. ^ a b Robinson, Jon (September 15, 2022). "Steven Bartlett's The Diary Of A CEO podcast hits 10 million monthly downloads". Business Live. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  11. ^ Turvill, William (May 4, 2024). "Steven Bartlett on success: 'I don't see myself as a guru'". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  12. ^ "Bartlett's billion as Diary of a CEO hits milestone – Prolific North". November 22, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  13. ^ Keites, Imogen (August 10, 2022). "Forking paths in successful lives". BPS. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  14. ^ Power, Ed (February 28, 2022). "Matt Hancock's cringey Diary of a CEO interview is as candid as it is awkward". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved March 10, 2025.
  15. ^ Swain, Marianka (February 22, 2022). "The Diary of a CEO Live, London Palladium, review: the most bonkers night I have spent in the theatre". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved March 15, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  16. ^ Marriott, James (May 25, 2023). "The Diary of a CEO podcast review — earnest but empty philosophising". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved March 14, 2025.
  17. ^ Sawyer, Miranda (November 26, 2022). "The week in audio: Football Ramble; Unboxed; The Diary of a CEO; Generation Gap". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  18. ^ Sawyer, Miranda (October 14, 2023). "The week in radio: Young Again with Kirsty Young; The Today Podcast; McCartney: A Life in Lyrics – review". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  19. ^ Hill, Simon. "The Best Podcasts for Everyone". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  20. ^ Correspondent, Mark Sellman, Technology (June 20, 2025). "Steven Bartlett warns YouTube over using creators' videos for AI". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved June 23, 2025. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  21. ^ Martin, Clive (August 23, 2024). "Steven Bartlett's empire of bluff". New Statesman. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  22. ^ a b Wakefield, Jacqui (2024). "Steven Bartlett sharing harmful health misinformation on Diary of CEO podcast". bbc.com. London: BBC News. Retrieved December 22, 2024.
  23. ^ "Steven Bartlett accused of amplifying dangerous health claims on his podcast". The Guardian. December 13, 2024. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  24. ^ "Steven Bartlett sharing harmful health misinformation on Diary of CEO podcast". BBC News. December 13, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  25. ^ "Steven Bartlett podcast Diary of CEO sharing harmful health claims, BBC probe finds". The Independent. December 13, 2024. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  26. ^ "Chris Williamson: If You Don't Fix This Now, 2026 Is Already Over!". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  27. ^ Bansinath, Bindu (January 14, 2026). "Did The Diary of a CEO Take the Red Pill?". The Cut. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  28. ^ ""Diary of CEO" guest calls out girl with the list on birth rate—she replies". Newsweek. Archived from the original on January 7, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  29. ^ Austin, Ellie. "What Diary of a CEO, Modern Wisdom podcast hosts got wrong about childless women". Fortune. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  30. ^ "Why is Steven Bartlett's podcast Diary of a CEO sparking controversy?". Yahoo News. January 23, 2026. Retrieved January 30, 2026.
  31. ^ "2025 iHeartPodcast Awards: See The Full List Of Winners". iHeart. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  32. ^ harmonyapiuser (March 11, 2025). "iHeartRadio Podcast Awards 2025". Variety. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  33. ^ Huston, Caitlin (March 11, 2025). "'Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang' Wins Podcast of the Year at iHeartPodcast Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  34. ^ harmonyapiuser (March 11, 2025). "iHeartRadio Podcast Awards 2025". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 11, 2025.
  35. ^ Maguire, Chris (April 20, 2025). "Bartlett turned down massive $100m podcast deal". BusinessCloud. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  36. ^ York, Alexandra. "Why The Diary Of A CEO Founder Turned Down A $100M Deal To Build A Podcast Empire". Forbes. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  37. ^ Steven Bertoni. "Forbes Top Creators 2025 - Instagramers, YouTubers & Other Digital Creators". Forbes. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  38. ^ "The 100 Most Influential Creators of 2025". TIME. July 9, 2025. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
  39. ^ "Spotify Wrapped 2025 announces the year's biggest artists, songs and albums". The Independent. December 3, 2025. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  40. ^ Farber, Alex (December 3, 2025). "Spotify Wrapped 2025: the unstoppable rise of self-help podcasts". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved December 3, 2025.
  41. ^ The Diary Of A CEO (July 7, 2025). The Porn Addiction Crisis No One Wants to Talk About – Dr. K. Retrieved February 2, 2026 – via YouTube.
  42. ^ a b Johnson, Brooke Ivey (January 24, 2026). "Stars turn on Steven Bartlett as he's accused of fuelling 'disappointing' misogyny". The Metro. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
  43. ^ "Are we being lied to about the meaning of life? That's the question at the heart of this debate. So I brought together three different perspectives. A believer, an atheist, and a spiritual… | Steven Bartlett | 556 comments". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
  44. ^ "Winners 2021". British Podcast Awards. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
  45. ^ Aniftos, Rania (March 13, 2025). "Matt Rogers & Bowen Yang's 'Las Culturistas' Wins Podcast of the Year at the 2025 iHeartPodcast Awards: Full List". Billboard. Retrieved March 15, 2025.
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