Dragons' Den (UK)

Dragons' Den
Genre	Business
Presented by	Evan Davis
Starring	Duncan Bannatyne Peter Jones Hilary Devey Deborah Meaden Theo Paphitis Formerly James Caan (Series 5 - 8) Rachel Elnaugh (Series 1-2) Richard Farleigh (Series 3-4) Doug Richard (Series 1-2) Simon Woodroffe (Series 1)
Composer(s)	John Watt
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Language(s)	English
No. of series	9
No. of episodes	71 (to end of series 9)
Production
Producer(s)	Dominic Bird BBC Manchester Sony Pictures
Location(s)	Pinewood Studios New Broadcasting House
Running time	60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC Two BBC HD (simulcast with BBC Two, 2009-present)
Picture format	576i (2005-2008) 1080i (2009-present)
Original run	4 January 2005 – present
External links
Website

Dragons' Den is a British television series, hosted by Evan Davis. The format of the show is owned by Sony Pictures and is based on the original Japanese series, which has been sold around the world. The programme has been produced by BBC Manchester since its inception and it was first broadcast on BBC Two on 4 January 2005.

The show allows several entrepreneurs an opportunity to present their varying business ideas to a panel of five wealthy investors, the "Dragons" of the show's title, and pitch for financial investment offering a stake of the company in return.

Programme

Format

Contestants have what they perceive to be a viable and potentially profitable business idea but lack funding, or are already trading in their business but need additional funds for promotion or expansion. They are required as part of their opening pitch to specify the amount of money they require from the Dragons. The rules stipulate that if they do not raise at least this amount from one or more Dragons, they must leave with nothing. In exchange for the investment, the contestants offer equity in their business, the percentage of which is also stipulated at the beginning of the pitch. If the Dragons see potential in the business idea or product, negotiations then take place around the amount of equity on offer, with the contestant having the opportunity to negotiate further, accept any offers, or simply walk away. Dragons can also offer a percentage of the money requested if they do not wish to commit the full amount, leaving the other Dragons free to do the same. This can lead to the contestant receiving the financial backing of more than one Dragon, with the benefit of a broader range of expertise. However, for this to occur, the contestant usually has to agree to relinquish a larger share in their business than they had first planned.

A Dragon who, having heard the pitch, does not wish to invest, must declare themselves "out", implying that they leave the discussion. (However, on one occasion in series 4, Peter Jones continued to question an entrepreneur after his own declaration.) This concluding phase may range from a few minutes if the Dragons don't perceive the business plan as credible, to much longer when complex conditions are negotiated. The Dragons often ridicule contestants, on grounds that vary widely, but especially for over-valuation of their respective enterprises.

Set and theme

The opening sequence of the programme is set in Ancoats, Manchester, an area transformed by the Industrial Revolution which helped give the city its nickname Cottonopolis.^[1] The sequence features shots of Murrays' Mills, one of Manchester's most famous cotton mills in production at the time of the Industrial Revolution and keeps in line with the programme's warehouse theme.^[1] The location of the set where the footage of the pitches is filmed is kept a secret however.^[1]

Awards

The programme was nominated for two BAFTA awards and a Royal Television Society award in 2007. The executive producer is Dominic Bird.

The Dragons

Seat Order (Right to Left)	Series 1	Series 2	Series 3	Series 4	Series 5	Series 6	Series 7	Series 8	Series 9
1	Peter Jones
2	Doug Richard		Deborah Meaden
3	Simon Woodroffe	Theo Paphitis
4	Duncan Bannatyne								Hilary Devey
5	Rachel Elnaugh		Richard Farleigh		James Caan				Duncan Bannatyne

Other Dragons' Den programmes

A Junior Dragons' Den was broadcast on 16 November 2007 as a short special during Children in Need and involved young children and teenagers displaying their ideas. Items included a "Look for Loneliness" pack, with stickers, trophies and branded 'friendship' stops (£5,000 was wanted) and also a selection of guinea pig and hamster houses (£1,000 wanted).^[2]

Dragons' Den: Where Are They Now^[3] came in four episodes, showing how a selection of successful and unsuccessful contestants from the previous series had subsequently fared in their businesses. The first episode covered the first and second seasons. The second episode covered the third and fourth seasons, but focused mainly on Levi Roots' Reggae Reggae Sauce. The third episode showed more from the third and fourth seasons, but focused in particular on the iTeddy. Finally, the fourth two-part episode focused on the third season.

In 2010, the BBC aired a follow-up series Dragons Den: What Happened Next,^[4] showcasing popular entrepreneurs from the show that both succeeded in gaining investment and failed, with the dragons offering a review of all scenarios. Each respective dragon had an episode detailing the success of their investments, as well as some reviewing and re-negotiations with entrepreneurs who went on to succeed without the dragon's investment.

Statistics

Dragon	No. of Investments
Series 1 (6 episodes)
Peter Jones	3
Duncan Bannatyne	2
Simon Woodroffe	1
Rachel Elnaugh	4
Doug Richard	2
Series 2 (6 episodes)
Peter Jones	3
Duncan Bannatyne	1
Theo Paphitis	4
Rachel Elnaugh	1
Doug Richard	0
Series 3 (8 episodes)
Peter Jones	2
Duncan Bannatyne	2
Theo Paphitis	4
Deborah Meaden	4
Richard Farleigh	2
Series 4 (6 episodes)
Peter Jones	4
Duncan Bannatyne	3
Theo Paphitis	5
Deborah Meaden	4
Richard Farleigh	5
Series 5 (9 episodes)
Peter Jones	5
Duncan Bannatyne	4
Theo Paphitis	6
Deborah Meaden	6
James Caan	6
Series 6 (8 episodes)
Peter Jones	6
Duncan Bannatyne	4
Theo Paphitis	5
Deborah Meaden	4
James Caan	5
Series 7 (8 episodes)
Peter Jones	6
Duncan Bannatyne	2
Theo Paphitis	5
Deborah Meaden	3
James Caan	4
Series 8 (10 episodes)
Peter Jones	6
Duncan Bannatyne	6
Theo Paphitis	5
Deborah Meaden	5
James Caan	3
Series 9 (10 episodes)
Peter Jones	4
Duncan Bannatyne	3
Theo Paphitis	5
Deborah Meaden	4
Hilary Devey	4

Successful pitches

Series 1

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	4 January 2005	Charles Ejogo	Umbrolly	150,000	Multimedia vending unit selling umbrellas and adverts	Duncan Bannatyne & Peter Jones	[1]
Episode 2	11 January 2005	Tracey Grailey	Grails Ltd	120,000	Tailor-made suits for businesswomen	Doug Richard & Rachel Elnaugh	[2]
Episode 3	18 January 2005	Tracey Herrtage	Le Beanock	54,000	A beanbag hammock	Rachel Elnaugh	[3]
Episode 3	18 January 2005	John and Phillip Petty	IV Cam	50,000	A 3D measuring system using camera technology	Peter Jones and Doug Richard	[4]
Episode 4	25 January 2005	Paul Thomas	Mycorrhizal Systems	75,000	Land for a truffle farm	Simon Woodroffe	[5]
Episode 5	1 February 2005	Elizabeth Galton	Elizabeth Galton Ltd	110,000	Custom-made jewellery	Duncan Bannatyne & Rachel Elnaugh	[6]
Episode 6	8 February 2005	Nik Rawcliff	Snowbone	75,000	Handle attachment for snowboards	Rachel Elnaugh	[7]
Episode 6	8 February 2005	Hugh Gwyther	Wonderland (magazine)	175,000	High-end fashion and culture magazine	Peter Jones	[8]

Series 2

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	15 November 2005	Dominic Killinger	Square Mile	150,000	Wireless broadband supplier to UK marinas	Theo Paphitis & Peter Jones	[9]
Episode 2	22 November 2005	Danny Bamping	Bedlam Puzzles	100,000	3-D puzzles	Rachel Elnaugh & Theo Paphitis	[10]
Episode 3	29 November 2005	Julie White	Truly Madly Baby	75,000	Unique baby products	Peter Jones	[11]
Episode 5	13 December 2005	Paul Cockle	The Generating Company	160,000	Contemporary circus shows	Peter Jones & Theo Paphitis	[12]
Episode 6	20 December 2005	David Lees	Mode Al	225,000	Custom furniture to house technology	Theo Paphitis & Duncan Bannatyne	[13]

Series 3

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	3 August 2006	James Seddon	Eggxactly	75,000	Water free egg cooker	Richard Farleigh & Peter Jones	[14]
Episode 2	10 August 2006	Gary Taylor	Alpine Cleaning	200,000	Franchised HGV cleaning service	Deborah Meaden & Theo Paphitis	[15]
Episode 3	17 August 2006	Matthew Hazell	First Light Solutions	100,000	A sonar based man-overboard detection system	Richard Farleigh	[16]
Episode 4	24 August 2006	Ian Chamings	MixAlbum	150,000	Dance download site with digital mixing software	Deborah Meaden & Theo Paphitis	[17]
Episode 5	31 August 2006	Richard Lee & Daren Duraidi	Dr Cap	150,000	Chain of shops selling baseball caps	Duncan Bannatyne	[18]
Episode 6	7 September 2006	Stephen Bellis	Nuts Poker League	50,000 (but received 65,000)	Pub based tournament poker league	Theo Paphitis & Deborah Meaden	[19]
Episode 7	14 September 2006	Peter Sesay	Autosafe	100,000	A seat-belt height adjuster	Peter Jones & Duncan Bannatyne	[20]
Episode 8	21 September 2006	Ian Daintith & Richard Adams	Coin Metrics	200,000	Technology to monitor cash operations for slot machines	Deborah Meaden & Theo Paphitis	[21]

Series 4

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	7 February 2007	Levi Roots	Reggae Reggae Sauce	50,000	Spicy BBQ sauce	Richard Farleigh & Peter Jones	[22]
Episode 1	7 February 2007	Anthony Coates-Smith & Alistair Turner	Igloo	160,000	Specialist chilled and frozen transport services	Duncan Bannatyne & Richard Farleigh	[23]
Episode 2	14 February 2007	Imran Hakim	iTeddy	140,000	Classic teddy bear with integrated media technology	Peter Jones & Theo Paphitis	[24]
Episode 3	21 February 2007	Roger Hind	Rotamate	85,000	A clothes airer that protects washing from the rain	Deborah Meaden & Richard Farleigh	[25]
Episode 3	21 February 2007	Denise Hutton	Razzamataz	85,000	A chain of dance, drama and singing schools for children	Duncan Bannatyne	[26]
Episode 4	28 February 2007	Christian Lane	Foldio	80,000	Stationery folder that halves size of paper without creasing	Theo Paphitis	[27]
Episode 4	28 February 2007	KC Jones	Foot Deodoriser	100,000	Sanitiser that kills bacteria within shoes	Deborah Meaden & Richard Farleigh	[28]
Episode 5	7 March 2007	Chris Haines	Safe-T-First	95,000	Emergency light	Deborah Meaden & Theo Paphitis	[29]
Episode 5	7 March 2007	David Pybus	Scents of Time	80,000	Perfumes from historical times which are re-created for today	Peter Jones & Theo Paphitis	[30]
Episode 6	7 March 2007	Peter Ensinger and David Baker	Standby Saver	100,000	Device that cuts off electrical current to home appliances on stand-by	All 5 for 50%	[31]

Series 5

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	15 October 2007	Celia Norowzian & Ian Forshew	Beach Break Live	50,000	Events company	Peter Jones	[32]
Episode 1	15 October 2007	Laban Roomes	Goldgenie (formerly Midas Touch)	60,000	Mobile gold plating service	James Caan	[33]
Episode 2	22 October 2007	Sarah Lu	youdoodoll	35,000	Personalizable doll	Deborah Meaden	[34]
Episode 2	22 October 2007	Emmie Matthews & Ed Stevens	Gaming Alerts	200,000	Gaming referral website	Theo Paphitis	[35]
Episode 3	29 October 2007	Mark Champkins	Concentrate Design	100,000	Products that help children at school	Peter Jones	[36]
Episode 4	5 November 2007	Max McMurdo	Reestore	50,000	Functional pieces of furniture from waste objects	Deborah Meaden & Theo Paphitis	[37]
Episode 4	5 November 2007	Jamie Jenkinson	Cush'n'Shade	100,000	A fold-away screen that acts as a cushion and sun shade	Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones	[38]
Episode 5	19 November 2007	Shane Lake and Tony Charles	hungryhouse.co.uk	100,000	An online takeaway ordering service	James Caan & Duncan Bannatyne	[39]
Episode 6	26 November 2007	Ian Helmore	Steri Spray	145,000	UV Sterilising system for shower heads	Deborah Meaden & Theo Paphitis	[40]
Episode 6	26 November 2007	Mark and Eleanor Davis	Caribbean Ready Meals	100,000	Caribbean ready meals made using genuine Jamaican and Trinidadian recipes	James Caan & Duncan Bannatyne	[41]
Episode 7	3 December 2007	Sammy French	Fit Fur Life	100,000	A dog treadmill	James Caan	[42]
Episode 7	3 December 2007	Jerry Mantalvanos & Paul Merker	JPM Eco Logistics	100,000	Environmentally friendly haulage company	Deborah Meaden & Theo Paphitis	[43]
Episode 8	11 December 2007	Peter Moule	ElectroExpo, Chocbox	150,000	Plastic housing that protects cable connections	Duncan Bannatyne and James Caan	[44]
Episode 9	18 December 2007	Amanda Jones & James Brown	Red Button Design	50,000	A water transport, sanitation and storage device for the developing world	All five Dragons	[45]

Series 6

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	21 July 2008	Jamie Turner[5]	Hamfatter	75,000	A music band	Peter Jones	[46]
Episode 1	21 July 2008	Julia Charles & Amy Goldthorpe	D4M Ltd	75,000	Events management company	Duncan Bannatyne & James Caan	[47]
Episode 2	28 July 2008	Victoria McGrane	Neurotica	56,000 (but received 75,000)	Fashion designer	Peter Jones	[48]
Episode 3	4 August 2008	Ming Yun	Light Emotions	40,000	Glow in the dark products	Peter Jones	[49]
Episode 3	4 August 2008	Michael Cotton	DDN Ltd	250,000	Misfuelling prevention device	Theo Paphitis and Deborah Meaden	[50]
Episode 4	11 August 2008	Charlotte Evans & Caroyln Jarvis	Buggy Boot	80,000	Storage solution for pushchairs	Deborah Meaden	[51]
Episode 4	11 August 2008	Andrew Harsley	Rapstrap	150,000	Waste-free cable-tie	Duncan Bannatyne & James Caan	[52]
Episode 5	18 August 2008	Neil and Laura Westwood	Magic Whiteboard	100,000	Portable whiteboard in the form of a roll	Theo Paphitis and Deborah Meaden	[53]
Episode 5	18 August 2008	Guy Unwin & Caroline Kavanagh	Planit Products	200,000	Toastabags	James Caan	[54]
Episode 6	25 August 2008	Guy Portelli	Guy Portelli Sculpture Studio	70,000 (but received 80,000)	Collection of 18 sculptures	James Caan, Peter Jones & Theo Paphitis	[55]
Episode 6	25 August 2008	Raymond Smith	Magic Pizza	50,000	Device designed to eliminate a 'soggy middle'	Theo Paphitis & Peter Jones	[56]
Episode 7	1 September 2008	Dominic Lawrence, Simeone Salik & Janice Dalton	Blindsinabox Ltd	40,000	Temporary, easy to install blinds	Duncan Bannatyne & James Caan	[57]
Episode 7	1 September 2008	Christian Richardson & Rachel Watkyn	Tiny Box	53,000	Unique recycled packaging company	Theo Paphitis & Peter Jones	[58]
Episode 8	8 September 2008	Paul Tinton	ProWaste Management Services	200,000	Construction waste recycling service	Duncan Bannatyne & Deborah Meaden	[59]

Series 7

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	15 July 2009	Rupert Sweet-Escott	Sweet-Escott Aviation Ltd	80,000	An aviation renewable energy supply company	James Caan	[60]
Episode 1	15 July 2009	Steve Smith	TrueCall Ltd	100,000	A device to stop nuisance phone calls	Peter Jones	[61]
Episode 2	22 July 2009	Richard Enion & Michael Davis	Basstoneslap	50,000	High energy drumming performance for corporate team building	Peter Jones & Theo Paphitis	[62]
Episode 2	22 July 2009	Sharon Wright	Magnamole Ltd	50,000 (but received 80,000)	A device to thread cables through cavity walls	Duncan Bannatyne & James Caan	[63]
Episode 3	29 July 2009	Lawrence Webb & Frank Drewett	Lid Lifters	50,000	A labour-saving device for lifting wheelie bin lids	Peter Jones	[64]
Episode 3	29 July 2009	Oliver Richmond & Toby Richmond	Servicing Stop	100,000	A bespoke nationwide car servicing company	Deborah Meaden	[65]
Episode 4	5 August 2009	Tony Earnshaw & Stephen Pearsons	UK Commercial Cleaning	100,000	Commercial cleaning company	Duncan Bannatyne	[66]
Episode 4	5 August 2009	Karen O'Neill & Karen Coombes	KCO Inline Ice Skating Ltd	100,000	New inline skate that allows dancers to perform ice-dancing moves on all surfaces	Theo Paphitis	[67]
Episode 5	12 August 2009	Carol Savage	MyDish.co.uk	100,000	Online community for people who love food and cooking and want to share recipes with their friends and family	Deborah Meaden	[68]
Episode 5	12 August 2009	Jane Rafter	Slinks	75,000	Sandals for every occasion: one base with a selection of interchangeable uppers	Theo Paphitis & James Caan	[69]
Episode 6	19 August 2009	Jason Roberts	Tech21	150,000	Protective cases for laptops, mobile phones etc. using a material called D30	Peter Jones & Theo Paphitis	[70]
Episode 7	26 August 2009	Michael Pritchard	The Anyway Spray	125,000	Invention that allows every last drop of liquid to be used in multi-directional household product sprays	Theo Paphitis & Peter Jones	[71]
Episode 7	26 August 2009	Kay Russell	Physicool Ltd	100,000	Invention that reduces the temperature after a bandage has been applied to an injured area	Deborah Meaden	[72]
Episode 8	2 September 2009	Michael Lea	Earle's	100,000	Food truck franchise that sells hot and cold foods	Peter Jones	[73]
Episode 8	2 September 2009	David & Patti Bailey	Motor Mouse	100,000 (but received 120,000)	Wireless mice shaped like famous sports cars	James Caan	[74]

Series 8

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	14 July 2010	Geoff Bowen	Pebblebed Vineyard	60,000	The chance for wine lovers to rent their own vines in a vineyard	Duncan Bannatyne	[75]
Episode 1	14 July 2010	Kirsty Henshaw	Worthenshaw's	65,000	A frozen dessert which is a dairy-free healthy alternative to ice cream	Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones	[76]
Episode 2	21 July 2010	Angela Newman	Vintage Patisserie	100,000	A vintage hosting company that runs parties which capture elements of a bygone era.	Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis	[77]
Episode 3	26 July 2010	Dennis Fuller	Golfers' Mate	100,000	A 3-in-1 golf accessory that includes a pitch-mark repairer, ball marker, t-peg and sharpener	James Caan	[78]
Episode 3	26 July 2010	Peter Harrison and Wesley Downham	FGH Security	75,000 (but received 100,000)	A security company that provides manned security, electronic security (alarms) and CCTV	Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis	[79]
Episode 4	2 August 2010	Layla Bennett	Hawksdrift Falconry	50,000	Birds of prey business which does pest control, falconry displays and provides a gift delivery service using birds.	Duncan Bannatyne	[80]
Episode 4	2 August 2010	Tim Williams and Tom Hogan	Lumacoustics	50,000	An electronic graffiti wall	Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden	[81]
Episode 5	9 August 2010	Sarah & Mike Longthorn & Laura Booth	WedgeWelly	65,000	Wellington boots with a wedge	Theo Paphitis	[82]
Episode 6	16 August 2010	Faizal Khan & Gary Hilman	Peel Engineering	80,000	The world's smallest production car, also powered by an electric motor.	James Caan	[83]
Episode 6	16 August 2010	Ralf Klinnert	Funky Moves	120,000	An electronic interactive sports cone game	Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis	[84]
Episode 7	24 August 2010	Letitia Valentine & Alexander Lewis	Surviva Jak	75,000	Jacket that has foil lining to prevent hypothermia	Deborah Meaden	[85]
Episode 7	24 August 2010	Richard Blakesley & Chris Barnardo	The Wand Company	200,000	"Kymera" - a buttonless gesture-based universal remote control	Duncan Bannatyne	[86]
Episode 8	31 August 2010	Patrick van der Vorst	Value My Stuff Now	100,000	An online antique valuation service	Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis	[87]
Episode 8	31 August 2010	Chris Elsworthy	Power8 Workshop	150,000	Power8 workshop, a power tool set that is the world's first cordless bench top system	Duncan Bannatyne and Peter Jones	[88]
Episode 9	6 September 2010	Solvej Biddle	Content and Calm (Traykit)	80,000	A backpack-tray for use on cars, planes, etc. that prevents children's toys rolling onto the floor	Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden	[89]
Episode 9	6 September 2010	Adam Weaver	Proppa	50,000	A website that sells vehicle accessories	Duncan Bannatyne	[90]

Series 9

Episode	First aired	Entrepreneur(s)	Company or product name	Money requested (£)	Description of product	Investing Dragon(s)	Website
Episode 1	31 July 2011	Georgette Hewitt	The Present Club	60,000	A website for buying gifts for children	Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis	[91]
Episode 1	31 July 2011	Chris Hopkins	Ploughcroft Solar	120,000	A company that installs solar panels in homes	Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis	[92]
Episode 2	7 August 2011	Christian Hartmann, Martin McLaughlin, Tom Callard	Love Da Pop	70,000	A business turning the old popcorn treat into a modern mainstream snack	Peter Jones	[93]
Episode 2	7 August 2011	Liz and Alan Colleran	Raskelf Memory Foam (Duvalay)	80,000	A zip-up memory foam mattress and duvet combo	Hilary Devey	[94]
Episode 3	14 August 2011	Peter and Michelle Hart	Fun Fancy Dress	100,000	Fancy-dress shop business and franchise	Duncan Bannatyne	[95]
Episode 4	21 August 2011	Bob Davis	Unique Ideas UK	50,000	Corporate events and entertainment including the Cyclone GameCube	Hilary Devey	[96]
Episode 4	21 August 2011	Robert Lewis	Rollersigns	100,000	Advertising on belt banners	Peter Jones	[97]
Episode 5	28 August 2011	Kate Castle	BoginaBag	50,000	Lightweight, portable toilet	Theo Paphitis	[98]
Episode 5	28 August 2011	Henry Buckley and JJ Harding	JogPost Limited	50,000	Direct marketing company specialising in leaflet distribution	Deborah Meaden	[99]
Episode 6	4 September 2011	Andy Bates	AB Performance	50,000	Bike-engined car manufacturing, servicing, repairs and tuning company	Peter Jones	[100]
Episode 7	12 September 2011	Nick Cross, Richard Hadden and Sebastian Stoddart	barMate	50,000	Hands-free pint-pulling product	Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis	[101]
Episode 7	12 September 2011	Simon Booth	Kiddimoto	75,000	Children's balance bikes	Hilary Devey and Duncan Bannatyne	[102]
Episode 8	19 September 2011	Ryan Ashmore and Liam Webb	RKA Records	50,000	Record label	Duncan Bannatyne	[103]
Episode 8	19 September 2011	Aidan Quinn and Gemma Rowe	EcoHab Homes and O-Pod Buildings	75,000	Energy-efficient dome-shaped buildings and garden structures	Theo Paphitis	[104]
Episode 9	26 September 2011	Andrea McDowall and Rebecca Baldwin	Shoot It Yourself	60,000	Professional video hiring and editing business	Hilary Devey	[105]
Episode 10	3 October 2011	Helen Waterston	Innovative Gadgets Ltd. (Roastcosy)	70,000	Stainless steel chain mail covering for roasting meats	Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden	[106]

Successful failures

Some contestants have gone on to success with their products despite being turned down by the Dragons. Examples include Destination London, a board game;^[6] the Tangle Teezer, a hairbrush designed to smooth knotted hair;^[7] Trunki, travel luggage designed for children;^[8][9] and the BarbeSkew, a rotisserie Barbecue.^[10]

Rejected Dragon offers

Founder Fenella Lindsell and executive Lara Goodbody appeared on the show in 2006 with their company Yogabugs. They rejected an offer from Australian multi-millionaire Richard Farleigh of £200,000 for 30% of the business. They also rejected £100,000 for 15% of the business by Peter Jones and left Dragons' Den with no offers because they believed the company was worth more. Since then they have gone on to build a franchise operation with 150 locations offered in the UK.

In Series 2, Danny Bamping accepted an offer of £100,000 for 30% of his company Bedlam Puzzles but rejected it after the show, opting to get a bank loan instead. His strategy was successful, as the show generated enough publicity to boost online sales of his Bedlam Cube from 23 to 4,500 on the days before and after the show's airing.

Criticism

Rachel Elnaugh's departure

Shortly before the launch of the second series in 2005, Rachel Elnaugh's company Red Letter Days went into administration; the remaining assets were bought by fellow dragons Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis. Although Elnaugh was at the helm before and at the time of the company's failure, she blames the problems on the actions of the last CEO whom she appointed in 2002, whilst she took a non-executive role to have her fourth child.^[11] Following 5 investments over 2 series, as a result of disputes with various Dragons, and the continuing uncomfortable position of the BBC allowing a perceived "failed" business person to continue investing on the show, she agreed to leave the Dragons' Den panel.

Sunday Mirror investigation

Although the BBC has never made any secret of deals that succeeded or fell through, usually offering a follow up in the final episode of the series, in September 2006 an investigation by the Sunday Mirror newspaper criticised the show, reporting that most of the deals were unfulfilled after the programs were shot.^[12]

The article claimed that the Dragons either pulled out of the deals over minor technicalities, deliberately offered heavily unfavourable terms to the entrepreneurs in an effort to make them withdraw, or simply broke off all contact with them after the recording. The Dragons however defended their record, blaming the failures on the Entrepreners themselves who were dishonest about their products, with Duncan Bannatyne stating: "We don't hand over money to people who don't tell the truth.", while Theo Paphitis added: "I kept up my end of the bargain. The show is not about a cash prize, it is about us pledging to invest. But people must tell the truth. Simple."

A BBC spokesman said: "After the initial agreement is made on camera, both parties enter a period of due diligence. Sometimes during this period the deals fall through."^[13]

Richard Farleigh's departure

It was announced on 18 May 2007 that Richard Farleigh had been dropped from the series.^[14]

The Daily Mail suggested he might have been dropped in order to have a new Dragon from an ethnic minority.^[15] Farleigh said, "It would be disappointing if that was the reason - rather than anything fundamental - if it was because I was the wrong colour. I don't know why this has happened and I am very disappointed and bemused - I wasn't expecting it because all the feedback I got was very positive. I had even moved back to the UK to focus on commitments for the show. I am gutted that I have not been invited back."^[15]

The suggestions in the Daily Mail report were rejected by the BBC who said the new Dragon would be chosen by their "business credentials" and not ethnicity. A BBC spokesman said it was normal that the show sometimes changed its team. Farleigh was later replaced by James Caan.^[16]

James Caan's departure

In April 2010, the Daily Mail reported that James Caan and Duncan Bannatyne were involved in a 'bitter row' over tax. Bannatyne claimed Pakistan-born Caan had an 'unfair' business advantage due to his non-domiciled tax status. He complained that, because Caan does not pay UK tax on his overseas earnings, he has more money to invest in his UK ventures.^[17]

Caan told the London Evening Standard: "I do not apologise for my country of origin, Pakistan."^[18] He also said he could not invest with anyone who had a criminal record - a reference to Bannatyne's having served a sentence in military prison when he was a teenager in the Royal Navy.^[18] Bannatyne replied that Caan was 'playing the race card' and 'personalising the whole thing', and accused him of implying he was racist.^[18]

Only days before the filming of series 8, Bannatyne went on to Twitter, pointing out that Caan is chairman of the Big Issue, which employs sellers with criminal pasts, and asking how they could now work with their chief.^[19] He brought the name of the Big Issue founder into the row by asking: 'Did John Bird know about James Caan's view on ex-prisoners when he gave him the chairman's role?'^[19]

Further fanning the flames for Caan was a well publicised critique of accusations that he offered to buy a baby from a family in Pakistan.^[20]

On 7 January 2011, the BBC announced James Caan had quit the Dragons' Den panel. The BBC announced regret and sorrow over the exit and thanked him for his efforts over his four series in the show.^[21] Clive Morgan of The Daily Telegraph criticised his departure, stating his exit was the show's loss and would not be the same without him.^[22]

He was replaced by Hilary Devey in February 2011.^[23]

Spoofs

Duncan Bannatyne appeared as himself in a recurring sketch in the ITV1 television show Al Murray's Multiple Personality Disorder titled "Duncan's Den", a parody of Dragons' Den, where Duncan is the only Dragon. Al Murray plays the role of Evan Davis, and in each successive sketch there is only one applicant, the hopelessly nervous and commercially inept, recent divorcee Carole Price, played by Laura Solon.

Kayvan Novak created a parody of the show called "Lizard's Lair" for his character Terry Tibbs on an episode of his show Facejacker where unsuspecting entrepreneurs were led to believe they could receive an investment from Terry in a very similar style to Dragons' Den.

Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, and Duncan Bannatyne appear as themselves in a satirical dream sequence in a series 6 episode titled "Conned Out of Luck" of the BBC show, Hustle.

The sketch show Harry & Paul has featured a series of parodies by Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse, where through careful editing the pair portray all the characters, including Davis (Whitehouse), the contestants unsuccessfully pitching various bizarre ideas (e.g. a 'kitten stomper' device) and a parodied cast of the Dragons. The emphasis is particularly on the entrepreneurs' names (e.g. 'Duncan Guillotine') and personalities (Meadon is simply 'The Grumpy Woman' – Enfield in drag). In one sketch parodying the banking crisis, Enfield's old character Tim Nice-But-Dim made an appearance and was revealed to be "obviously" the brother of 'Peter Jones'.

Dead Ringers parodied the show with strange investments such as a tramp wanting investment in tea and a sketch where a man wants £100,000 and his pitch is a gun. They also parodied Dragon responses with Deborah Meaden seeing a product which turns base metal to gold and saying "How do you make any money out of this?".

The talkSPORT weekday afternoon show presented by Paul Hawksbee and Andy Jacobs has recently begun a weekly spoof slot wherein "Hilary Devey" (Jacobs) makes obvious comments to (absent) sporting personalities who have recently been in the news for making poor decisions. These comments usually deride said personality, ending with the Dragons' common final phrase, "I'm Out!"

DVD release

The first two series of the show are available to buy on DVD.^[24] It is unknown whether the remaining series of the show will also be released.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Bourne, Dianne (24 June 2010). "New lair for Dragon's Den?". Manchester Evening News Media. http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/tv_and_showbiz/s/1268619_new_lair_for_dragons_den. Retrieved 1 June 2011. 
2. ^ Dragons' Den | Children in Need
3. ^ Dragons' Den | Where Are They Now?
4. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00tvb0v
5. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/cambridgeshire/content/articles/2008/07/16/dragons_den_hamfatter_feature.shtml | BBC - Cambridgeshire - Entertainment - Hamfatter wow the dragons!
6. ^ Dragons' Den: The rejects that got rich
7. ^ Dragons' Den reject has the last laugh after hair Tangle Teezer is stocked by Boots
8. ^ Dragons' Den reject ends up on top
9. ^ Rob Law profile
10. ^ BarbeSkew Inventor Ed Wray's comments on his Dragons' Den appearance
11. ^ Real Business October 2009 http://www.realbusiness.co.uk/news/business-woman/5701456/rachel-elnaugh-i-thought-my-life-was-over.thtml
12. ^ Owens, Nick (17 September 2006). "Dragons' Con". Sunday Mirror. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4161/is_20060917/ai_n16735087/. 
13. ^ Sunday Mirror (2006) Sunday Mirror Retrieved 17 September 2006
14. ^ Dowell, Ben (18 May 2007). "I'm out: dragon dropped from den". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/may/18/bbc.broadcasting1. 
15. ^ ^{a b} "Dragon's Den panelist ousted for being the 'wrong colour'". Daily Mail (London). 18 May 2007. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-455837/Dragons-Den-panelist-ousted-wrong-colour.html. 
16. ^ Dave West (21 May 2007). "'Dragons' Den' panellist dropped". Digital Spy. http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/realitytv/a58052/dragons-den-panellist-dropped.html. 
17. ^ James Caan owes ME an apology after refusing to shake my hand, says Duncan Bannatyne as row between Dragons takes another ugly turn, 23 April 2010, Daily Mail, Retrieved 7 October 2010
18. ^ ^{a b c} "Dragons' Den tax rift escalates". BBC News. 15 April 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8621733.stm. 
19. ^ ^{a b} http://www.metro.co.uk/metrolife/821726-dragons-dispute-duncan-bannatyne-takes-to-twitter-to-ramp-up-caan-row
20. ^ http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1322726/James-Caan-regrets-offering-buy-baby-girl-Pakistan-village.html
21. ^ "James Caan to leave Dragons' Den". BBC News. 7 January 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12137331. 
22. ^ "Dragons' Den won't be the same without James Caan". The Daily Telegraph (London). 7 January 2011. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8246048/Dragons-Den-wont-be-the-same-without-James-Caan.html. 
23. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/dragonsden/dragons/hilarydevey.shtml
24. ^ Dragon Den Complete BBC Series 1 & 2 [DVD], Amazon.co.uk

External links

• Official website
• Dragons' Den UK at the Internet Movie Database
• Dragons' Den UK at TV.com
• List of all pitches on the UK show
• Dragons Den Facts: The Dragons, Pitchers, Investments & Statistics (Infographic)