The Rebel Billionaire
Encyclopedia
The Rebel Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best is a reality show
for Fox Broadcasting Company
's fall 2004 season.
Richard Branson
, founder of Virgin Worldwide
, challenges 16 contestants to tasks that will prove to him which is most qualified to take over as president of Virgin Worldwide. This format is strongly derivative of popular NBC
reality show The Apprentice
, though as well as business-related tasks it also incorporated many tough physical challenges, reflecting Branson's love of daredevil
stunts. Each week also saw the contestants travel to a different country, whereas The Apprentice is just situated in one area. Shawn Nelson was the winner of the first and, so far, only season.
, and aired 12 episodes through January 2005. Although the show had over 5.5 million viewers, it was considered a ratings disappointment for American television prime-time programming. The show found ratings success internationally though, airing in 19 countries around the world, ranking as the #1 show in many countries where Richard Branson does business. The Rebel Billionaire can still be seen in America in re-runs on the Fox Reality Channel
.
- Broadcast on Plug TV - Broadcast on FX - Broadcast on Global TV - Broadcast on International Channel Shanghai
- Broadcast on OTV
- Broadcast on TVB Pearl
- Broadcast on KTN
- Broadcast on TV3
- Broadcast on TV3
- Broadcast on 8TV
- Broadcast on TV3
- Broadcast on Studio 23
- Broadcast on MNET Series
- Broadcast on TV8
during the end of 2007 and again from March 2009 - Broadcast on FX - Broadcast on ITV2
- Broadcast on Fox
- Broadcast on FX
Each episode will include : One chance at two "Desafios" (Challenges) - One business related, and one physical challenge. Contestants will need more than just professional skills... their courage will also determine if they are eligible for the next challenge.!
Walter Longo and Vivianne Ventura will be the counselors by his side throughout the course of the show.
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
for Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
's fall 2004 season.
Premise
The premise for the series was that billionaireBillionaire
A billionaire, in countries that use the short scale number naming system, is a person who has a net worth of at least one billion units of a given currency, usually the United States dollar, Euro, or Pound sterling. Forbes magazine updates a complete list of U.S. dollar billionaires around the...
Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
, founder of Virgin Worldwide
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
, challenges 16 contestants to tasks that will prove to him which is most qualified to take over as president of Virgin Worldwide. This format is strongly derivative of popular NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
reality show The Apprentice
The Apprentice (U.S. TV series)
The Apprentice is an American reality television show hosted by real estate magnate, businessman and television personality Donald Trump, created by Mark Burnett and broadcast on NBC...
, though as well as business-related tasks it also incorporated many tough physical challenges, reflecting Branson's love of daredevil
Stunt performer
A stuntman, or daredevil is someone who performs dangerous stunts, often as a career.These stunts are sometimes rigged so that they look dangerous while still having safety mechanisms, but often they are as dangerous as they appear to be...
stunts. Each week also saw the contestants travel to a different country, whereas The Apprentice is just situated in one area. Shawn Nelson was the winner of the first and, so far, only season.
Presentation
The one hour show premiered on November 9, 2004 on the Fox networkFox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
, and aired 12 episodes through January 2005. Although the show had over 5.5 million viewers, it was considered a ratings disappointment for American television prime-time programming. The show found ratings success internationally though, airing in 19 countries around the world, ranking as the #1 show in many countries where Richard Branson does business. The Rebel Billionaire can still be seen in America in re-runs on the Fox Reality Channel
Fox Reality Channel
Fox Reality Channel was an all reality television channel available on cable and satellite television in the United States. It was launched on May 24, 2005 and was owned by the Fox Entertainment Group. It featured many shows that were previously on the Fox network...
.
Contestants
(as they appeared on the show & in order of elimination)| Contestant | Occupation |
|---|---|
| Shawn Nelson (Winner) | Founder of LoveSac LoveSac LoveSac is an American furniture retailer, specializing in beanbag chairs.The company was created by Shawn D. Nelson, who used to hand-make the chairs and deliver them to other students at the University of Utah. In 2005, Nelson won Fox's Rebel Billionaire reality show.In January 2006, the company... Corporation |
| Sara Blakely Sara Blakely Sara Blakely is an American businesswoman. In 2000, Blakely founded Spanx, a multi-million dollar undergarment company.-Biography:... |
Founder of Spanx SPANX Spanx, Inc. is a U.S. company that mainly manufactures footless pantyhose and other undergarments for women, particularly "body shaping" undergarments and bodysuit shapewear intended to give the wearer a slim and shapely appearance.... , Inc. |
| Heather Maclean Heather Maclean -Early life and education:Maclean was born Heather Beach on October 18, 1972 in St. Louis, Missouri. She graduated from Cor Jesu Academy in St. Louis in 1990... |
Founder of Little Laureate Little Laureate Little Laureate is an American company that produces developmental, multimedia products for small children and their caregivers. It was founded in 2001 by Heather Maclean and Monica Gibson.-Premise:... Inc. |
| Gabriel Baldinucci | Real Estate Investor |
| Erica Vilardi | Model |
| Nicole Harvat | Labor Attorney |
| Candida Tolentino | Founder of Earth Cafe Living Foods |
| Steve Berke | Real Estate Manager/Tennis Pro |
| Jessica McCann | Former Owner of Sales Company |
| Michael Zindell | Wall Street Strategist |
| Jermaine Jamison | Technology Sales Specialist/Motivational Speaker |
| Sam Heshmati | Financial Analyst |
| Jennifer Grinspan | Radio Station Advertising Manager |
| Tim Hudson | Trial Attorney |
| Aisha Krump | Pharmaceutical Sales Representative |
| Spencer | Car Salesman |
Broadcasting
- Broadcast on Channel SevenSeven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
- Broadcast on Plug TV - Broadcast on FX - Broadcast on Global TV - Broadcast on International Channel Shanghai
Shanghai Media Group
Shanghai Media Group , under the Shanghai Media & Entertainment Group , is a multimedia television and radio broadcasting, news and Internet company...
- Broadcast on OTV
OTV
- Science and technology :* Odor threshold value a measure of odor intensity* Orbital Test Vehicle, another name for the Boeing X-37 unmanned spacecraft* Orbital transfer vehicle, a space tug used to move a spacecraft from one orbit to another...
- Broadcast on TVB Pearl
TVB Pearl
TVB Pearl is one of the two free television services in Hong Kong that mainly broadcast in the English language, the other being ATV World. It is owned and operated by Television Broadcasts Limited, and together with its sister Cantonese language station TVB Jade, is broadcast from TVB City at 77...
- Broadcast on KTN
KTN
KTN may refer to:*Katoen Natie, a global logistics provider based in Belgium*Kawish Television Network*Kenya Television Network*Ketchikan International Airport...
- Broadcast on TV3
TV3 Latvia
TV3 Latvia is a television channel targeted at a Latvian language audience owned by Modern Times Group . It was launched in 1998, but did not receive a terrestrial license until 2001...
- Broadcast on TV3
TV3 Lithuania
TV3 is a television channel owned by Modern Times Group and targeted at a Lithuanian-speaking audience. It was founded on May 7, 1992 and launched on April 11, 1993 as "Tele-3" before being renamed "TV3" in 1996....
- Broadcast on 8TV
8tv
8tv is a common name for television channels. It may refer to:*8TV in Catalonia, Spain*8TV *8TV 8TV in China*WISH-TV in Indianapolis, USA*Wood TV in Michigan, USA...
- Broadcast on TV3
TV3 (New Zealand)
TV3 is a New Zealand commercial television network, owned by MediaWorks New Zealand. Launched on 26 November 1989, the first private television network in New Zealand...
- Broadcast on Studio 23
Studio 23
Studio 23 is a Filipino television network owned by the ABS-CBN Corporation. The network is named for its flagship station in Metro Manila, DWAC-TV, which is carried on UHF channel 23...
- Broadcast on MNET Series
MNET Series
MNET Series is a television channel which is part of the popular South African satellite television network, DStv. This channel broadcasts television series 24 hours a day to viewers in Africa. Most of the programmes broadcast are unique to MNET Series but some are re-broadcasts of episodes...
- Broadcast on TV8
TV8 (Sweden)
TV8 is a television channel owned by Modern Times Group broadcasting to Sweden. It focuses on news, current affairs, documentaries and drama. The channel was started by the private equity firm Ratos in 1997 and was sold to MTG in 1999....
during the end of 2007 and again from March 2009 - Broadcast on FX - Broadcast on ITV2
ITV2
ITV2 is a 24 hour, free-to-air entertainment television channel in the United Kingdom owned by ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It was launched on 7 December 1998, and is available on digital television via satellite, cable, IPTV and terrestrial platforms. The channel has the...
- Broadcast on Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
- Broadcast on FX
FX Latin America
FX Latin America is a cable television channel and is the Latin American version of the popular American television network FX. The channel does not share the same logo as its American counterpart. FX Latin America is intended as a counterpart to Fox Life, the first being produced for the male...
Brazil
Has been announced the Brazilian version named "O Grande Desafio" (The Great Challenge, in English). The prize awarded for the winner will be US$ 1,000,000.00.O Grande Desafio
The New Reality Show "Roberto Justus, who was inspired on" The Rebel Billionaire "Sir Richard Branson, who was a great success in the United States 2004. Sir Richard Branson and founder of the group" Virgin "and its investments music ranging from aviation, telecommunications and travels to aero-space.Description
The first Reality show in Brazil to Include both business and action elements.Each episode will include : One chance at two "Desafios" (Challenges) - One business related, and one physical challenge. Contestants will need more than just professional skills... their courage will also determine if they are eligible for the next challenge.!
Host/Counselors
Roberto Justus will be the host of the show, much like Richard Branson was on the Rebel Billionaire.Walter Longo and Vivianne Ventura will be the counselors by his side throughout the course of the show.
External links
- The Rebel Billionaire at Reality TV World
- Salon.com article about the show