Mr Internet TV: The Ego And The Id By John Bentley Chronicles Nearly Nine Decades Of Ambition, Innovation, Scandal, And Reinvention

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, John Bentley – Mr Internet TV: The Ego and The Id – chronicles an extraordinary, larger-than-life journey that spans nearly nine decades of ambition, innovation, scandal, and reinvention.

Mr Internet TV

Born at the dawn of World War II in Brighton, England, John Bentley—now 86—has lived a life that reads like a whirlwind adventure novel. His recently published memoir, Mr Internet TV: The Ego and The Id, delivers an unfiltered, no-holds-barred account of his rise from wartime childhood to becoming a self-made multi-millionaire by age 30, a media pioneer, and a key player in the worlds of business, entertainment, and technology.

The memoir begins with a bombshell revelation: “Bentley” is not his original surname. He is a direct descendant of the long-extinct Dukes of Chandos, tracing his lineage back to the Norman Conquest of 1066. This discovery prompts a profound life review, reframing his adventures through the lens of hidden heritage and personal destiny.

From his early days at the prestigious Harrow School to emigrating to Australia as a “£10 Pommie,” Bentley’s path quickly veered into high-stakes territory. He navigated boardrooms, courtrooms, and the corridors of power across three continents.

Rise to Fame and Fortune in 1970s Britain

By his early thirties, the tall, charismatic Bentley had become one of Britain’s youngest self-made millionaires. Described in the press as a “corporate buccaneer,” he was charming, handsome, and occasionally scandalous, with a philosophical edge. Tatler named him one of the country’s most eligible bachelors, and he was even considered for a nude centrefold in Cosmopolitan.

His business empire spanned advertising agencies, billboards, and film production—he was involved with Shepperton Studios, which produced the cult horror classic The Wicker Man. In the 1980s, he founded Intervision, establishing one of the UK’s first national chains of video rental shops, capitalizing on the home entertainment boom.

Bentley’s insider tales add intrigue: his role in the Al Fayed takeover of Harrods, early involvement in Rupert Murdoch’s satellite broadcasting battles, attempted takeovers of the Daily Express, the London Ritz, and New York’s Plaza Hotel, and even wilder episodes like a supposed coup attempt in Scotland and witnessing the Israeli raid on Beirut amid skyrocketing oil prices.

Boom, Bust, and Personal Turbulence

Success brought excess. Bentley owned a 50,000-acre estate neighboring the royal residence at Balmoral, which he sold to fund his home movie invention. Yet fortunes were made and lost—twice. Glamorous affairs, three failed marriages, and a long romance with the daughter of one of the world’s richest men marked his jet-set existence across London, LA, Gstaad, Ibiza, and St Tropez.

Encounters with Prime Ministers, royalty, rock stars, and the super-rich—including the Khashoggis, Al-Fayeds, and Goldsmiths—pepper the narrative. A stint in jail during a failed U.S. venture added grit to the tale.

Pioneering Internet TV in the Digital Age

In the mid-1990s, Bentley reinvented himself yet again in the United States. He founded what he claims as the world’s first streaming Internet TV company—a bold David-vs.-Goliath challenge to tech giants like Larry Ellison at Oracle and Bill Gates at Microsoft. This largely untold story forms a centerpiece of the memoir, earning him the nickname “Mr Internet TV.”

Personal Evolution Amid Hedonism and Heartbreak

The book reflects on a golden era of pre-woke individualism, entrepreneurship, and hedonism, contrasted with Bentley’s later philosophical reckoning. Romances with aristocrats and actresses give way to a poignant rediscovery of lost love in retirement.

Written in Bentley’s rough-hewn, wry voice—unapologetically blunt and explicit—the memoir follows the Harvard professor’s advice: “Blow your own trumpet. Nobody else will.” While some sections slow with procedural detail, the sheer audacity of the anecdotes keeps readers hooked.

A Must-Read for Fans of High-Stakes Lives

Mr Internet TV: The Ego and The Id is a raucous, name-dropping feast that transports readers from council flats to castles, wartime Brighton to Hollywood rendezvous. It embodies the bravado of success in media and show business, offering historical insight into media evolution, technology’s rise, and a life lived without apology.

Buckle up for a breathless spin through an unbelievable life—one that continues to defy convention.

Find more from John Bentley now:

www.johnbentley.biz

Kindle: https://amzn.to/4tbTrwg

Paperback: https://amzn.to/3NHurN7