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. [6] 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. [7]
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". [8]
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. [9]
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. [10]
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. [11] According to Chartable, The Diary of a CEO was the UK's most downloaded podcast on all audio platforms in 2022. [11] According to Edison Podcast Metrics, The Diary of a CEO is the biggest podcast in the UK. [12] The podcast has become the first UK podcast to reach one billion views and listens (across Apple, Spotify and YouTube). [13] [14] The Diary of a CEO was included in the top 5 podcasts globally on Spotify in 2024. [5]
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." [15] 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." [16] The Telegraph said it was "formulaic" but a "stone cold smash." [17]
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." [18] 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." [19] 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." [20]
Wired included The Diary of a CEO on their list of the best podcasts of 2025, describing it as initiating "sprawling discussions." [21] 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." [22]
The Diary of a CEO has been subject to criticism for sharing harmful health information on the podcast. [23] In December 2024, the BBC World Service investigated The Diary of a CEO amid the claims around health misinformation. [24] The BBC investigation cited an episode where Bartlett interviewed Aseem Malhotra, a British cardiologist accused of spreading misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccinations, criticising Bartlett for not challenging Malhotra and for using clickbait titles related to health. [24] The Diary of a CEO has been accused as platforming misleading claims about reversing poly-cystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and autism through diet, and labelling evidence-based medication as toxic to some patients. [25] [26]
The Telegraph awarded the show 2/5 stars when it was performed at the London Palladium in 2022. [27]
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 a month. [28] [29]
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