Inheritance

4. La dolce vita

2026-11-02

Gianni Agnelli is living the good life in the south of France while he waits to inherit the Fiat empire. His life is a mixture of parties, mega-yachts and beautiful women, until one night changes everything.

Presenter: Sofia Bettiza Series producer: Simon Tulett Producer: Bob Howard Fact-checkers: Adriana Urbano and Randa Darwish Music: Thomas Ross Fitzsimons Sound engineer: Richard Hannaford Series editor: Matt Willis With special thanks to Jennifer Clark, Michele Masneri, Rachel Sanderson, Andrea Colli, and, also, Octavia Woodward. Senior commissioning producer: Sarah Green Commissioning editor: Jon Manel

Inheritance is a BBC Long Form Audio production

No. of episodes

16

Latest episode

2026-11-02

Where can you listen?

NEW from Inheritance: the Agnelli family, the equivalent of Italian royalty. Their influence extends far beyond business into politics, sport, culture and Italy's national identity. Their empire includes Fiat, Ferrari and Juventus Football Club. But when the family is hit by a series of tragedies, it causes a fracture that will echo down the generations.

When you’re born into a powerful business dynasty, what comes first: the family or the firm? And when it comes to passing on control, who gets the top job? Inheritance explores the family dramas behind some of the world's biggest businesses.

Previously on Inheritance: Samsung. When the Samsung Chairman has a heart attack, his heir is pushed into the spotlight. The complex manoeuvring to secure his succession re-opens old family wounds, prompts one of the biggest scandals in South Korea’s history, and – eventually – helps to bring down a President.