The Rebel Billionaire

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Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

The Rebel Billionaire: Branson's Quest for the Best was a reality show for Fox Broadcasting Company's fall 2004 season. The premise for the series is that billionaire 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 incorporates 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, founder and CEO of LoveSac [1], is the winner of the first and, so far, only season.

The one hour show premiered on November 9, 2004 on the Fox network, and aired ten episodes. Though the ratings were disappointing compared to Trump's hit show, Fox aired the show in its entirety, and the show has been aired in other countries like Australia as well as Branson's home of the United Kingdom.