Steven Bartlett, the Dragons' Den star and host of the Diary of a CEO podcast, is facing renewed criticism after casually mentioning that he flies his barber from the UK to the United States for haircuts. The 33-year-old entrepreneur made the remark during an interview with billionaire investor Jeremy Grantham, sparking accusations of being 'ridiculously out of touch'.
Barber flown across the Atlantic for a trim
In the podcast episode released last week, Bartlett and Grantham discussed differences in food quality between the US and other countries. Bartlett recounted how his barber, Damon, had flown to the US to give him a haircut and complained about feeling unwell after eating local food. 'Brits fly over here, and actually we had my barber Damon, and he flew over here to give me a haircut last week. He said, “Oh gosh, I don’t feel good”. He said: “I went and got some food here, I really just don’t feel good” and he says: “Every time I come over here I don’t feel good”,' Bartlett said.
Listeners quickly seized on the revelation that Bartlett not only flew his barber in for a single haircut but had done so multiple times. YouTube comments were scathing, with user mfhr6650 writing: 'Great interview, but the “my barber flew out to give me a haircut” line is the douchiest thing I’ve ever heard.' Another user, robragei8w, added: '“My barber flew here to cut my hair”. Brother, that makes you part of the problem.'
Growing pattern of controversy
This is not the first time Bartlett has faced backlash for his comments. In recent months, he has been accused of fuelling misogyny and criticised for hosting controversial guests like Ivanka Trump. Just weeks before the barber incident, a resurfaced 2025 clip showed him claiming that drinking two to three glasses of wine 'derailed three days of his life'. The remarks were widely mocked, with Vogue Williams joining the criticism on her podcast My Therapist Ghosted Me. 'He said he had three glasses of wine, and it ruined his life because it made him not optimal for three days,' Williams said. 'First of all, he said that he wasn’t able to podcast well, which I actually don’t agree with because I think when you’re hungover, you are on full fuego.'
Bartlett, who became the youngest-ever investor on Dragons' Den in 2022, has built a reputation for his controversial takes. The latest episode has further damaged his public image, with many questioning his connection to everyday reality.
