BBC to launch new business TV series in the autumn

by Rebecca Burn-Callander - Tuesday, 15th April 2008 -

Real Business can reveal that the BBC is to air a new-concept business programme in September, in which entrepreneurs have to start again from scratch. One young entrepreneur, Dan McGuire, has already turned down the opportunity to appear.

BBC3 is launching a new "entrepreneurial" series called The Last Tycoon, airing in September.

The premise?

The show will take several established entrepreneurs, take away their mobile phone and little black book, stick them in an unfamiliar place and make them start again.

"You get a small budget, and a theme, like "sports". You'll be dropped in a secret location, anywhere in the world, and you've got one week to make money," explains Dan McGuire, joint winner of Young Entrepreneur of the Year at our Growing Business Awards last year.

The series starts filming in two months time, but alas, McGuire has had to respectfully decline.

"Would it generate any publicity for Broadbean?" asks Real Business.

"I don't know," he replies. "It's a really delicate time in the business, and filming will take seven weeks. I just can't spare that right now."

Wilfred Emmanuel Jones, founder of The Black Farmer range of sausages and ham, is listening keenly.

"I want to do that," he says. "That sounds like fun. Can I do it?"

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