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Tony Hawks is a very lucky man. He has done well in life, thanks to luck, hard work, plus many years of writing, travelling and making people laugh on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4. But he doesn’t fancy a nice car. He’s not into flashy holidays. And he doesn’t want to pass any of the money he’s earned down to his only child.

Tony acknowledges that he’s aspirational. But he aspires to do good, not to accumulate. And that’s the legacy he wants to leave to his son. Not money. Because, in Tony’s opinion, money passed down through inheritance corrupts aspiration, it corrupts ambition, and it has a corrosive effect on personality.

What’s more, he believes inheritance has a harmful effect on society - it perpetuates inequality and makes a mockery of equal opportunity. In short, Tony is dead against it.

If Tony were to leave just money to his young son, would it give his boy a vital leg-up or would it take away his drive and motivation to achieve things on his own terms?

The series follows Tony’s efforts to make a decision about his will, his son and his money. He argues for a radical shift away from the idea of inheritance. But is it even possible in today's world?

Inheritance is a complex issue that sits at the heart of British society. And it’s about to become a whole lot more pressing as we face the biggest transfer of wealth in history. The Baby Boomers are dying out and they will be leaving vast sums of money to the next generations over the coming decades.

In this first episode, Tony speaks to the billionaire John Caudwell about whether he should hand down money to his son and to the academic Eliza Filby, to get a better sense of how the ‘Great Wealth Transfer’ is reshaping family life today.

Presenter: Tony Hawks

Producer: Tom Woolfenden

Editor: Kirsten Lass

A Loftus Media production for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Radio 4

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