Dragons' Den star Steven Bartlett has sparked a furious row with neighbours at his £8.5million Cape Town property, as he aims to double its value. The BBC personality, worth over £37million, bought the house for £3.8million in 2024 and spent two years renovating it.
Neighbours fume over rising property prices
The mansion, located on the slopes of Table Mountain in Bishopscourt, features seven bedrooms, a padel court, a swimming pool, home cinema and spa. It has previously been rented to Warner Bros International for filming Germany's The Bachelor.
Local resident Sedick Dawood told the Daily Mail: "I love Steven, but here again Cape Town is being bought by foreigners, under the guise of 'foreign investment', but in reality pushing up property prices for citizens." A social media user added: "We are unable to enjoy or afford our own land because of foreign demand."
Success forces sale
A source close to Bartlett explained that his business commitments have left little time for the South African property. The friend said: "Steven loves the place in South Africa - but he's just not able to visit it enough. In the last couple of years, his business has exploded. DOAC is on track to be the biggest podcast in the world; and his team has grown hugely."
With offices now in the US and UK, Bartlett spends most of his time travelling across the Atlantic. Last year, he and his partner Mel were only able to visit for four weeks, and that time is set to decrease further. The source added: "In a way, the house is a victim of Steven's success." A spokesperson declined to comment.
Other properties
Bartlett also owns a £5.1million penthouse in Canary Wharf, which includes a DJing area and a green room for podcast guests.
