'You can imagine what it means to me' - Ilicali

[BBC] Hull City owner Acun Ilicali is preparing for the club's return to the Premier League, the latest milestone in a life that has taken him from bankruptcy and personal tragedy to television stardom. Dubbed Turkey's Simon Cowell, Ilicali has become one of the most recognisable figures in his home country, a rise that might once have seemed unlikely after he was declared bankrupt in his twenties. Now, as Hull prepare for their first season back in the top flight since he bought the club in 2022, he says he is approaching the challenge with the same determination that has defined much of his life. On the streets of his home city of Istanbul, he cannot go anywhere without being recognised and asked for a picture or a few moments of his time. While I was with Ilicali in Istanbul, he took a video call with a potential transfer target and offered a mesmerising sales pitch about Hull City's plans for the Premier League. By the end of the call, he certainly had me convinced, such is his enthusiasm for the project. "I didn't have enough money to buy football shirts when I was a kid, now I'm the owner of a club in the Premier League," he says. "You can imagine what it means to me." It hasn't all been smooth sailing over the first three and a half years, however, and there was even a threat of relegation to League One that saw them survive only on goal difference in May 2025. The club has also faced scrutiny over its finances, with recently published accounts showing underlying losses rising to £41.7m, while promotion brought fresh challenges around profit and sustainability rules. Twelve months later, a memorable and dramatic day at Wembley Stadium saw the Tigers seal victory in the play-off final and promotion to the Premier League. Amid all the successes he has experienced in his career, where does that moment rank? "It's number one," he tells me. "If you'd given me eight years, I'd say we can do it. In four and a half years, to get promotion, I can say it's my biggest achievement in business." Read more from Ilicali's chat with BBC Radio Humberside