The BBC’s long-running business investment show Dragons’ Den is back for its 23rd series, returning to BBC One and iPlayer on Thursday 29th January at 8pm. The new season will see resident Dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett joined by a rotating cast of guest investors, including football legend and entrepreneur Gary Neville, rapper and music mogul Tinie Tempah, REFY CEO Jenna Meek, and Tropic Skincare founder Susie Ma.
Each episode will feature one of the four guest Dragons sitting alongside the regular panel, bringing fresh perspectives and expertise to the Den. The new cohort aims to strike fear into the hearts of entrepreneurs while also offering empathy and support, as many of the guests have themselves been in the position of pitching for investment.
Jenna Meek, who appeared as a guest Dragon, said she was drawn to the show because she used to watch it with her father as a child and aspired to be an entrepreneur. She described the Den environment as “real and intense” and noted that she felt protective of the entrepreneurs, often sticking up for them against the other Dragons. Meek said she looked for founders who are “genuinely reshaping their industries” and who demonstrate passion and purpose in their pitches.
The guest Dragons emphasised that they went into the Den without secret strategies, preferring to be authentic and trust the process. Meek added that she was surprised by how authentic and unfiltered the experience was, with no prior knowledge of the businesses before filming. The new series promises to deliver high-stakes investment decisions and compelling pitches from a fresh wave of entrepreneurs.
