Dragons’ Den is back for a new series in 2024 as the hit investment show returns for its twenty-first series.
Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Sara Davies and Steven Bartlett return as Dragons to weigh up their next investments.
Almost £30 million has been invested in businesses since the series began – who will be next to win over the Dragons?
When is Dragons’ Den back on TV?
The new series of Dragons’ Den begins on Thursday, 4 January 2024 at 8PM Episodes will continue weekly on BBC One and iPlayer.
As ever, aspiring entrepreneurs have one chance to make their dreams come true when they pitch their business idea to five multimillionaire investors. It’s make or break time.
There have been over 200 episodes of Dragons’ Den, and 14 new episodes coming in the 21st series.
Who are the Dragons?
Steven Bartlett, a dynamic entrepreneur, founded the successful social media marketing agency The Social Chain in his Manchester bedroom. Dropping out of university, he took his company public by age 27, achieving a market valuation over £300 million.
Sara Davies, from County Durham, launched Crafter’s Companion, a craft tools retail business, from her university bedroom. Thirteen years later, the company boasts a £34 million annual turnover and employs over 190 people globally.
Peter Jones, a longstanding Dragon from the show’s inception, began his entrepreneurial journey with a tennis coaching school. Overcoming financial setbacks, he is now a celebrated British entrepreneur with interests in a diverse range of businesses.
Deborah Meaden transitioned from college to entrepreneurship, starting her first business and a Stefanel fashion franchise in the UK. She later joined Weststar Holidays, her family business, and now is a dedicated investor with a diverse portfolio.
With a 40-year career in retail and manufacturing, Touker Suleyman is known for founding Hawes & Curtis and revitalizing the Ghost womenswear label. Starting in accountancy, he is now a prominent figure in the business world.
For the new series, they will be joined by ‘guest Dragons’, London-born and US-based fashion mogul Emma Grede and ex-professional footballer turned businessman extraordinaire Gary Neville.
How does Dragons’ Den work?
Presented by Evan Davis, the first episode of Dragons’ Den premiered on 4 January 2005.
The show sees business entrepreneurs given the chance to pitch their companies, creations and ideas to a line up of ‘Dragons’ in a bid to get financial investment in return for a stake in their ventures.
There has been a total of 19 Dragons since the series began with Peter Jones having appeared since the first series. He is also the longest serving Dragon in the world, appeared as a guest on Shark Tank, the US version as well as the British series.
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