Steven Bartlett sharing harmful health misinformation in Diary of CEO podcast | BBC News

A BBC investigation found that Steven Bartlett’s popular podcast, "Diary of a CEO," frequently spreads harmful medical misinformation by allowing guests to promote dangerous health advice without challenge or correction.

• Podcast investigation — A review of 15 recent episodes revealed an average of 14 inaccurate health claims per show, which were rarely challenged by the host [00:15].

• Dangerous suggestions — Guests promoted unproven theories, such as using the ketogenic diet to treat cancer instead of chemotherapy or linking gluten to conditions like autism and schizophrenia [01:13].

• Production response — Flight Studio, the company behind the show, stated they offer guests "freedom of expression" and perform thorough research on their participants [02:39].

• Medical risk — Experts warn that patients might reject conventional treatments after hearing this content, noting that choosing alternative therapies over standard care significantly increases mortality rates for diseases like breast cancer [04:34].

• Seeking guidance — When dealing with a health diagnosis, experts recommend ignoring internet influencers and instead verifying information with trusted medical organizations [05:36].

• How can patients verify health claims they encounter online?

• What are the dangers of choosing alternative therapies over standard medical care?