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Steven Bartlett SLAMMED as top experts claim podcast guru is sharing harmful health information that could put cancer patients off life-saving treatments READ MORE: Blood sugar monitors backed by celebs are effectively 'useless' By REBECCA WHITTAKER FOR MAILONLINE Published: 09:39, 13 December 2024 | Updated: 10:14, 13 December 2024 e-mail View comments Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett has been condemned by top health experts for sharing harmful health information on his podcast that could put cancer patients at risk. Guests on the podcast — which rakes in 15million views a month — have claimed cancer can be treated by following a keto diet, and that the Covid vaccine was a 'net negative for society'. But experts have slammed the Dragons' Den star for failing to question these disproven claims, and creating a distrust of conventional medicine as a result.
Professor David Grimes, Associate Professor in public health and cancer researcher from Trinity College Dublin, warned that cancer patients could end up 'worse outcomes' by following the recommendations of the self-proclaimed gurus. 'You could potentially and very realistically get very, very, sick,' he said. Meanwhile, Professor Heidi Larson, an expert in public confidence in healthcare, accused the podcast of 'sending people away from evidence-based medicine'.
'[Patients] stop doing things that might have some side effects, even though it could save their life,' she said. The damning comments come as part of a BBC World Service investigation of the accuracy of health information featured on Barlett's Diary of A CEO podast. Diary of a CEO host Steven Bartlett has been condemned for sharing harmful health information on his podcast that could put cancer patients at risk The broadcaster analysed 23 health-related podcast episodes and found 15 contained an average of 14 harmful claims that went against scientific evidence.
The misinformation was allowed with 'little to no challenge' by the 32 year-old entrepreneur, who is said to be worth some £70million. Podcasts in the UK are not regulated by the media regulator Ofcom, which means Mr Bartlett is not breaking any broadcasting rules. One episode flagged as featuring 'discredited' views aired in July, and included an interview with Dr Aseem Malhotra, a controversial medic known for voicing his anti-Covid vaccine stance on social media.
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