Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past few months, you won’t have been able to avoid the global phenomenon that is Steven Bartlett.
He commands attention through every medium possible. His number one podcast is now releasing two full episodes a week, is available to watch on YouTube, AND is being played on all British Airways flights since the start of 2022. His debut book, Happy Sexy Millionaire, was a Sunday Times bestseller and he has introduced a whole new audience to BBC’s Dragons Den, being the youngest dragon to ever appear on the show. All this, and a few multi million pound businesses to boot.
So what does the guy that does everything do next? He takes himself to the stage, of course. His Diary of a CEO Live tour started in February, with three consecutive sell out nights at the London Palladium.
On Sunday 20 March, he arrived in Birmingham at the Alexandra Theatre for his penultimate show, where I was waiting with baited breath to see what the next few hours had in store…
Let me tell you… it was an unexpected rollercoaster of emotions, I laughed, cried, danced and sang my way through the two and a half hour show. Never have I ever left a show feeling so inspired. Never have I ever been to a show where I had constant goosebumps throughout- and it wasn’t because the air conditioning was in overdrive. What Steven creates on that stage is pure magic.
A treat for all the senses, the Diary of a CEO live, combines music, performance, visuals and speech, speaking to not only the minds, but also the hearts and souls of everyone in that room.
I wasn’t sure what to expect when I took my seat, but it absolutely exceeded any expectation I could have had. It’s not a life story. It’s not a motivational speech. It’s not a regurgitation of Happy Sexy Millionaire. It’s not a monologue – that doesn’t do it justice. Monologue insinuates monotone. Dreary. Dull. No, this was none of the above. It falls into its own category, a new genre.
Rather than an autobiographical tale, I would call it the Evolution of Steven Bartlett, intertwined with podcast clips, and punctuated with the most powerful performances by the House Gospel Choir, and other guests.
Whilst he shares his journey from stealing Chicago Town pizzas, to the day Social Chain hit the stock market at £300 million, it would be easy for him to glaze over the difficulties and the negatives… if anyone has earned the right to boast, it would be him. But he doesn’t, he focuses on the difficulties… the rejection from his mother, and potentially the rest of his family, the struggle of a business partner, and best friend suffering from addiction and not knowing how to deal with it, to the absence of elation on what should have been the greatest day of his life. It was real, and honest. He wasn’t chasing sympathy, just sharing the hidden side of business and success that isn’t shared enough, because it’s dismissed or stigmatised. Like because these people are successful, they don’t have the right to have struggles or depression.
There were some uncomfortable truths… for him and for the audience. He called us out a couple of times, with nervous and knowing giggles echoing around the theatre.
After the interval, came the most fascinating part of the show for me. Despite being on every social platform under the sun, Steven manages to keep his private life pretty private. So, when he describes his initial failings as a partner to girlfriend Melanie during the first issue they faced as a couple, it was an unexpected segment. He admits how ego got in the way of love, how he flew 22 hours to Bali to win her back, and how rejection physically hurt… but also how mature love conquered all. Seeing a successful, talented man standing in front of thousands of people and declaring his love forever and always directly to Melanie who was sat in the crowd was something to behold. An example that masculinity and ego doesn’t get in the way of mature love (men in the audience, I hope you took note).
Throughout the show, young, diverse artists get their moment in the spotlight, Josh Barry, Hamzaa and J Hope, all in their twenties and all phenomenally talented, combining their skills with the House Gospel Choir to create musical illustrations to the tale being told.
What was inherently apparent throughout the whole show was the passion Steven feels for every, single word he says. Like he wants it ingrained in your brain when you leave that theatre, giving you the grit and determination you never knew you needed, and giving a megaphone to that voice inside that we all need to listen to more.
The show ends on a bittersweet high, a tribute to Jamal Edwards, with the House Gospel Choir flipping the genre on its head and giving us some gospel house to play out this epic spectacle. Every single person was up on their feet, eyes glazed with tears and grinning from ear to ear.
Walking back to my car, I heard my own thoughts echoed in the conversations of others – “that was incredible…”, “I feel so driven and determined to do more”, “what a show, beyond all expectation”.
I think everyone in the audience would just want to say one thing to Steven and his team. So I’ll say it now, and they might not ever see it but…. thank you. Thank you so much.
It was remarkable.
and she said 