Best Zing Tsjeng Podcasts (2024)

1
Zing Tsjeng on Swedish painter Hilma af Klint 27:52

15d ago27:52

27:52

Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was barely known during her lifetime but an exhibition of her work at the Guggenheim Museum in 2018 shattered attendance records. it was called Paintings for the Future, and the giant abstract work astounded visitors who had not heard of her before.Joining journalist Zing Tsjeng in the studio to discuss her life is Jennif…

1
The Roman Emperor Nero 27:36

2d ago27:36

27:36

An unexpected choice for Great Lives, the Roman Emperor Nero has a reputation for debauchery and murder. He was also surprisingly popular, at least during the early years of his reign, and the writer Conn Iggulden argues he may be a victim of bad press. The Christians decided he was the anti-christ some three centuries after he died, and the three …

1
Jerry Seinfeld: The world’s richest comedian 36:56

2d ago36:56

36:56

Jerry Seinfeld has a life-long obsession with jokes, but his smash hit sitcom turned the New York stand-up into the richest comedian of all time. Seinfeld was the most watched programme in America when it ended in in 1998, but it’s what came next that made the real Jerry Seinfeld mega rich – streaming and syndication. Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng fin…

1
Film director Julien Temple on Elizabethan bad boy Christopher Marlowe 27:47

9d ago27:47

27:47

Julien Temple, director of The Great Rock n Roll Swindle, Glastonbury and Absolute Beginners, chooses Christopher Marlowe, writer of brilliant plays including Doctor Faustus and Tamburlaine the Great. "I'm excited to talk about him," he says, "because I've known him for more than 50 years." The link? An attempt as a student to summon up Marlowe in …

1
Peter Jackson: Lord of the films 46:21

10d ago46:21

46:21

How did Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson become one of only four filmmakers worth a billion dollars, and one of just three billionaires from New Zealand? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out how a childhood obsession with movies led to a booming film industry in Jackson’s homeland. From Bad Taste to King Kong a…

1
Miuccia Prada: ‘Ugly fashion’ 40:37

17d ago40:37

40:37

How a communist mime artist became the billionaire boss of a luxury fashion house. Miuccia Prada changed her name, then made it famous with one of the runway’s biggest brands. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how the Italian fashion designer turned her grandfather’s shop into a fashion powerhouse. Alongside her husb…

1
Miriam Margolyes on Charles Dickens 27:54

23d ago27:54

27:54

The great Miriam Margolyes chooses Charles Dickens, author of Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol. "He's the man in my life. He's tugged me into his world and never let me go. He writes better prose than anyone who's ever lived. He's told the most interesting stories, invented 2000 of the best characters, and because he was a wicked man." Miriam Mar…

1
Sergey Brin: Googling billions 47:27

23d ago47:27

47:27

By founding Google, tech titan Sergey Brin helped shape the internet. He also got very, very rich, as his company Alphabet became one of the biggest in the world. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the story of the billionaire who partied on planes after escaping prejudice in Russia. Sergey Brin and his best friend Larry…

1
Tiger Woods: Golf’s ‘golden boy’ 40:07

1M ago40:07

40:07

Golfing superstardom made him incredibly rich. Personal disasters nearly took it all away. How did Tiger Woods go from a child golfing prodigy to the world’s highest paid athlete for a whole decade? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng explain how one of the greatest golfers of all time broke barriers in his sport, winning 15 m…

1
Coming soon: Season 2 4:06

1M ago4:06

4:06

There are now even more billionaires. How did the super-rich become so rich? Good, Bad Billionaire is coming back with season 2 to find out. New episodes released on Mondays from 29 July. We’ll discover more about the lives of the people on the planet who have the most money, then Simon Jack and Zing Tsjeng will decide if they think they are good, …

1
Mary Portas on Anita Roddick 27:48

3M ago27:48

27:48

Dame Anita Roddick started The Body Shop in Brighton as a way to earn a living while her husband was travelling the Americas by horseback. Her idea for ethically-sourced beauty products which were initially sold in urine sample bottles soon flew. The first shop that she began with a £4,000 loan and painted green to disguise the damp on the walls th…

1
Lady Rachel MacRobert, chosen by Hayaatun Sillem 27:54

4M ago27:54

27:54

Lady Rachel MacRobert was born Rachel Workman in Massachusetts in 1884. She was sent to study in the UK where she developed a passion for geology, and attended the Annual General Meeting of the Royal Geological Society despite women not being allowed. She became Lady Rachel MacRobert through marriage to Alexander MacRobert in 1911. He was thirty ye…

1
Queen Emma 27:37

4M ago27:37

27:37

Professor Alice Roberts, best known as the presenter of Digging for Britain, picks the wife of two English kings and the mother of two English kings. Queen Emma was born in Normandy and came to England as a diplomatic peaceweaver when she married Aethelred in 1002. Somehow she survived the invasion of the Danes under Swein Forkbeard and married his…

1
James Dyson on Frank Whittle 27:54

4M ago27:54

27:54

Frank Whittle’s fascination with aeroplanes started as a nine-year-old boy when he was nearly decapitated by one that was taking off from a local common in Coventry where he grew up. From that moment he set his sights on becoming a pilot, and joined the RAF in 1923. A few years later, aged just 21, he came up with an idea for powering aircraft so t…

1
Katherine Rundell on E Nesbit 27:49

4M ago27:49

27:49

Bestselling children's author Katherine Rundell discusses the extraordinary life of E Nesbit who wrote The Railway Children and Five Children And It. Katherine praises her “bold unwillingness to speak down to children” and reflects that “she never seemed to forget what it was like to be a child”. E, or Edith, Nesbit’s conjuring of mythical beasts l…

1
Antoni Gaudi 27:23

5M ago27:23

27:23

Baroness Ros Altmann, a Conservative peer and former pensions minister, was “blown away” by the architecture of Antoni Gaudi on a trip to Barcelona in the 1990s. She’s been back several times and her wonder at Gaudi’s use of colour and natural shapes has not faded. She wants to find out more about the conservative, religious man who created such ex…

1
Sir Bruce Forsyth 27:43

5M ago27:43

27:43

The political writer and broadcaster Steve Richards remembers the 1970s as a “dark decade.” But one shining light for the teenage Steve was Saturday evening telly, especially the Generation Game on BBC One. He was captivated by the performance of the show’s host, Bruce Forsyth. Brucie was in his pomp, with the programme getting audiences of up to 1…

1
Harry Enfield on Gerard Hoffnung 27:56

5M ago27:56

27:56

Gerard Hoffnung’s life was short. He died in 1959 at the age of 34, but this cartoonist, musician, broadcaster and raconteur achieved a lot in that time. Born in Berlin, he lived most of his life in London. His charming cartoons which often gently poked fun at musicians and conductors were printed in magazines and books. His wife Annetta said he wa…

1
Mark Zuckerberg: Move Fast and Get Rich 56:50

5M ago56:50

56:50

How one social media site birthed an empire. The story of Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng take us from his childhood to joining the billionaires club soon after, at just 23, then on to his current status as one of the four richest people on the planet. He dropped out of Harvard to mix with oth…

1
Richard Branson: Sky's the Limit 48:34

6M ago48:34

48:34

From The Exorcist to owning 400 companies, how music sent the Virgin entrepreneur into space. He's an island owning adventurer, but he's incredibly shy. He's the record label owner who doesn't even like music. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack try to understand a man of many paradoxes and ask whether he's good, bad, or just …

1
Jim Ratcliffe: Man U Mogul 48:25

6M ago48:25

48:25

He's spent a billion on Manchester United, but how did Jim Ratcliffe become a billionaire? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng learn how the Premier League club's new co-owner got rich via some daring investments and impressive acquisitions. They learn how he made his name in petrochemicals before founding one of the industry'…

1
Bernie Ecclestone: Fast Money 50:05

6M ago50:05

50:05

How the Formula One supremo won control of a sport, and how it all came crashing down. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace Bernie Ecclestone's unique rise and fall. From modest beginnings selling second hand cars, he built Formula One into a one man empire worth billions. How did he go from the very top to tax fraud, and…

1
Gina Rinehart: The Other Iron Lady 50:48

6M ago50:48

50:48

How mining magnate Gina Rinehart amassed a $30 billion fortune to become Australia's richest person and earn a reputation for being highly litigious. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng uncover a woman who has taken legal action against her father's widow, her own biographer and the biggest mining company in the world, and who…

1
Good Bad Billionaire Presents….Business Daily 18:16

6M ago18:16

18:16

In this special episode, Simon Jack and Zing Tseng bring you the Business Daily podcast, looking at the four sportspeople who’ve made it big enough in business to become billionaires. Listen as presenter Matt Lines finds out the secrets behind the fortunes of Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Lebron James and Magic Johnson. Listen to every episode of Bu…

1
Charles Koch: Dark Money’s Slick Operator 38:28

6M ago38:28

38:28

How oilman Charles Koch turned black gold into dark money. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng investigate the feuding family that has shaped US politics for decades. The Koch family battles made “Dallas and Dynasty look like a playpen” with brother against brother, and even twin against twin. But Charles Koch succeeded as hei…

1
Taylor Swift: Swiftonomics 53:48

7M ago53:48

53:48

Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack uncover the huge public feuds and private legal battles that made the most famous woman in the world. She can change the economy, but is Taylor Swift good, bad, or just another billionaire?By BBC World Service

1
Warren Buffett: The Oracle of Omaha 54:58

7M ago54:58

54:58

How Warren Buffett became the richest investor in history, amassing a fortune of over $120 billion, without moving from the Nebraska home he bought in 1958. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng discover how Buffett earned his first money as a six year old, bought his first shares at 11 and filed his first tax return at 13. He w…

1
NR Narayana Murthy: India's IT Innovator 53:03

7M ago53:03

53:03

How NR Narayana Murthy, now known as the father-in-law of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, first became known as the father of India's IT boom. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack explain how Murthy made Infosys, the technology company he founded with six friends and some cash borrowed from his wife, a world leader in outsourcin…

1
Alan Freeman picked by Simon Mayo 27:50

7M ago27:50

27:50

In 1961 Alan 'Fluff' Freeman took over as the host of the BBC Radio's 'Pick of the Pops' and changed music broadcasting forever. From the opening "Greetings pop pickers" Alan would count down the hottest records of the week punctuating the end of each track with minimal detail before introducing the next. It was exhilarating radio and his staccato …

1
Rupert Murdoch: The Succession Prequel 52:26

7M ago52:26

52:26

How a young man inherited an Australian newspaper and turned it into a global media empire. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng tell the origin story of the 92-year-old media magnate. He’s been called ‘evil’ and ‘a cancer’, for others he’s the champion of free press. He’s also one of the most powerful people on the planet. So …

1
Actor Niamh Cusack on the life of poet Mary Oliver 28:24

8M ago28:24

28:24

The Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mary Oliver died in 2019. She was best known for her poetry that reflected her love of the natural world and her famous poem 'Wild Geese' is said to have literally saved people's lives with its message of hope and redemption. An abusive childhood led the young Mary to escape into the woods near her home in Ohio where…

1
El Chapo: Cocaine Kingpin 50:48

8M ago50:48

50:48

The story of Mexican drug lord Joaquín Archivaldo Guzmán Loera, better known as El Chapo, the leader of one of the world’s most prolific, violent and powerful drug cartels. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng follow El Chapo from childhood in the Mexican mountain region of Sinaloa to the very top of the drug business and into …

1
Mr Motivator picks Harry Belafonte 28:30

8M ago28:30

28:30

Harry Belafonte became the King of Calypso with hits like 'Day-O' and 'Jump in the Line' but he would later describe himself as an activist who became a musician and an actor. Fitness guru Derrick Evans MBE AKA 'Mr Motivator' spent much of the 90s on TV wearing brightly-coloured spandex and encouraging people to be more active. He stresses the poli…

1
Jay-Z: A Business, Man 52:31

8M ago52:31

52:31

How hip-hop’s first billionaire went from grams to Grammys. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack chart Jay-Z's meteoric rise from drug dealing in the projects to sipping champagne in a private jet. Jay-Z turned his aspirational lifestyle into cash, rapping about the champagne that he owned. And the private jet? A gift from his …

1
Jimmy Wales on Thomas Jefferson 27:49

8M ago27:49

27:49

In 1776 Thomas Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence, kick-starting the movement against British rule and putting in place the foundations for democracy in what became the United States of America. But he was a man of contradictions. He argued passionately against slavery but was a slave-owner. He had a relationship with an enslaved woma…

1
Eartha Kitt proposed by Faye Tozer 28:27

8M ago28:27

28:27

Eartha Kitt was born in South Carolina in 1927. She had a tough upbringing but found her talent whilst in theatre school in New York. She became a star of stage and then screen, most notably as Catwoman in the series 'Batman'. She upset President Johnson's wife with her comments about the Vietnam War. Her sultry cabaret performances and trademark g…

1
John Gray on JG Ballard 28:25

9M ago28:25

28:25

Philosopher John Gray chooses as his great life the iconic British writer of dystopian and speculative fiction, J.G. Ballard, in conversation with the author's daughter Bea Ballard. Presented by Matthew ParrisProduced in Bristol by Beth Sagar-FentonBy BBC Radio 4

1
Iszi Lawrence on Diana Barnato Walker 28:52

9M ago28:52

28:52

Broadcaster and author Iszi Lawrence chooses the aviator Diana Barnato Walker. Coming from a privileged background, Diana used her pocket money to take flying lessons, flew bombers during World War II, and - aged 45 - became the first British woman to break the sound barrier. Iszi is joined by Giles Whittell, author of Spitfire Women of World War I…

1
Michael Bloomberg: Market Master 49:03

9M ago49:03

49:03

How did being fired from Wall Street lead Michael Bloomberg to a $96 billion fortune and a failed presidential campaign? Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack try to understand this man of contradictions. A brash playboy and thoughtful data nerd, a lifelong Democrat who became the Republican mayor of New York, a plutocrat who sp…

1
Mohammad Mossadegh, PM of Iran ousted in a coup 28:17

9M ago28:17

28:17

Walter Murch picks Mohammad Mossadegh, prime minister following the nationalisation of the Anglo-Iranian oil company in 1951. Mossadegh was ousted in a coup in 1953. Murch became fascinated in Mossadegh's life while working on a Sam Mendes film about the first Iraq War. Walter Murch is an editor best known for Apocalypse Now, The Godfather and The …

1
Patrick Soon-Shiong: Cures for Cash 39:56

9M ago39:56

39:56

Why was a brilliant surgeon and biotech billionaire sued by his brother... and Cher? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace his journey from apartheid South Africa to the upper echelons of LA society. He’s tried to cure cancer, diabetes, and COVID-19, and along the way rubbed shoulders with some of the most powerful people …

1
Bill Gates: Software Hardman 1:00:58

9M ago1:00:58

1:00:58

The story of the Microsoft boss who spent over a decade as the richest person in the world after becoming the youngest self-made billionaire in history. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack follow Bill Gates' journey, from venerated, nerdy entrepreneur to ruthless monopolist, then from generous philanthropist to conspiracy theo…

1
Sam Bankman-Fried with Michael Lewis 59:23

9M ago59:23

59:23

The spectacular rise and incredible fall of a crypto empire and its unconventional founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, the billionaire wannabe philanthropist now facing decades behind bars. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack could not resist inviting special guest Michael Lewis (author of Liar's Poker, Moneyball and The Big Short) to…

1
Denise Coates: Ultimate Gambler 46:12

10M ago46:12

46:12

How did an accountant from Stoke-on-Trent gamble it all to become the world's highest paid woman? Denise Coates founded online betting company Bet365 and soon became a billionaire. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng trace the journey of this elusive figure. Geographically she's not travelled far, becoming the biggest employer…

1
Michael Jordan: Most Valuable Player 52:39

10M ago52:39

52:39

How did basketball's biggest superstar become the world's first athlete billionaire? Michael Jordan turned his prodigious talent on the court into a money making machine. Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack trace Jordan's career from his childhood in North Carolina, through brilliance as a college basketball player, to his all…

1
Kim Kardashian: Breaking the Internet 49:43

10M ago49:43

49:43

How does the subject of a leaked sex tape become a billionaire business mogul? Journalist Zing Tsjeng and BBC business editor Simon Jack find out how Kim Kardashian leveraged her fame and sold her privacy to earn billions, breaking the internet along the way. They follow her money making schemes, from selling celebrities' clothes online and styling…

1
Bernard Arnault: The Wolf in Cashmere 43:27

10M ago43:27

43:27

The rise and rise of the French entrepreneur who vies with Elon Musk for the title of richest person in the world. Bernard Arnault is the head of the of luxury brand conglomerate LVMH, a house of brands that owns Givenchy, Louis Vuitton, Moet, Hennessey, Christian Dior, Sephora, Tiffany & Co, Marc Jacobs, Fenty and some 70 other luxury labels. Jour…

1
Viktor Bout: Merchant of Death 36:16

11M ago36:16

36:16

Just who was the arms dealer prisoner swapped for US basketball star Brittney Griner? Viktor Bout was a man who built his empire selling arms to anyone who wanted them, and earned a billion in the process. BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng piece together a tale from the secretive world of the international arms trade. They f…

1
George Lucas: Box Office Billions 39:55

11M ago39:55

39:55

In the podcast that uncovers how the world's 2,668 billionaires made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Simon and Zing follow George Lucas' journey from cult filmmaker to master of a cinematic galaxy. Find out how he harnessed the force of Star Wars to make him one of the richest filmmakers in the world, despite directing …

1
Oprah Winfrey: Queen of All Media 38:06

11M ago38:06

38:06

How did Oprah become the richest African American of the 20th Century and queen of all media? BBC business editor Simon Jack and journalist Zing Tsjeng find out, and then they judge her. In the podcast that uncovers how the world's 2,668 billionaires made their money and asks if they are good or bad for the planet, Simon and Zing follow Oprah Winfr…

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