BBC Three Adds New Business Competition Series

LONDON: The new series Be Your Own Boss (working title) from production company Twofour is to air on BBC Three.

The series features one of the co-founders of Innocent Smoothies, Richard Reed, searching for new British business talent to invest to £1 million. Reed will hand 500 of the best applicants some cash to see who can turn a profit and will draw on his own business philosophy to determine who should have a shot at the kind of big money that turns business dreams into reality.

Reed said, "Setting up and running Innocent with my friends has been a life-enhancing adventure. That’s why I’m excited to be part of this new series giving others the chance to have the same experience, starting their own business and setting them up to become successful entrepreneurs."

Zai Bennett, the controller of BBC Three, commented, "Richard is one the U.K.’s most successful young entrepreneurs so we’re delighted that he will offer the BBC Three audience, not only the benefit of his experience, but also risk his own money as he offers them the chance to follow in his footsteps in Be Your Own Boss."

Alan Tyler, the executive editor of entertainment and commissioning, added, “This is an exciting, ambitious idea with Richards’ enthusiasm and determination to find a new generation of entrepreneurs right at its heart.”

Tamara Abood, the executive producer for Twofour, stated, “We’re delighted to be working with Richard on this ambitious new series that takes the business program genre in an exciting new direction.”