DRAGONS' DEN WELCOMES NEW GUEST DRAGONS FOR UPCOMING SERIES ON BBC ONE

Music mogul, rapper and entrepreneur Tinie Tempah, serial entrepreneur and REFY CEO  Jenna Meek, and Tropic Skincare powerhouse Susie Ma are becoming guest Dragons’ for the upcoming series of Dragons’ Den. Joining them for his second stint in the Den is footballing icon and entrepreneur Gary Neville, as the BBC’s long running show is sure to fire up audiences on BBC One next year.

This formidable new cohort of business elites is set to strike fear into the hearts of a fresh wave of entrepreneurs as they appear throughout the series. Every episode will feature one of the four sitting alongside the resident Dragons; Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett, injecting excitement and fresh new intakes into the world of business for audiences.

Tinie Tempah burst onto the music scene in 2010 with the UK number-one single Pass Out, which was closely followed by a string of hugely successful albums and multiple award wins. Earlier this year Tinie founded his own record label, Imhotep Records and returned to music -releasing single Eat it Up with Skepsis. Alongside this, Tinie is now embracing a new chapter in his career, focusing on mentoring emerging talent and supporting creative entrepreneurship, particularly among people from underrepresented backgrounds.

Susie Ma enters the Den having built one of the UK’s fastest-growing beauty brands, with an annual turnover of £68 million. After reaching the finals of The Apprentice in 2011, Susie secured investment in her company from Lord Sugar, despite not winning the series. In 2023, Susie bought out Lord Sugar's stake in the multi-award-winning natural skincare company and is now the sole owner of Tropic Skincare, which has over 38,000 Ambassadors and serves millions of customers. 

Jenna Meek is a respected voice in the beauty and business communities, having launched her first venture, SHRINE a festival make up and cosmetic glitter brand at the age of 20, which quickly gained international traction with pop-ups at global festivals. In November 2020, she co-founded REFY. From its Manchester base, the company has become one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the UK with an annual turnover of more than £40m.

Ex-professional footballer turned businessman Gary Neville completes the Guest Dragons line up and is no stranger to the Den as he returns with the knowledge of exactly what it takes to be a Guest Dragon, having previously been one of the first Guest Dragons to appear in the show.

Tinie Tempah said: “I have a keen interest in supporting emerging entrepreneurs as well as investing in a wide-ranging portfolio of businesses, so Dragons’ Den was an opportunity I simply couldn’t turn down. I am ecstatic to become a Guest Dragon and look forward to seeing where I can help, bring value and of course invest in some of these brilliant businesses and people that step into the Den.”

Susie Ma said: “It’s an absolute honour to join the Den as a Guest Dragon. I started Tropic from a market stall at fifteen, and I know the grit, vision and belief it takes to turn a spark of an idea into something extraordinary. I’m here to back the bold - the next generation of changemakers building businesses with purpose, creativity and courage. Sitting in that iconic chair is a pinch-me moment, and I’m so excited to help brilliant founders bring their dreams to life.”

Jenna Meek said: “I am so excited to be joining Dragons’ Den, this has been a lifelong goal of mine. Dragons’ Den is the reason I became an entrepreneur, from watching it with my dad from such a young age, so it is incredible to be able to meet so many amazing entrepreneurs building businesses and pushing the boundaries. It is such an empowering environment and I am thrilled to be a part of it. It’s also incredible to be here alongside the Dragons, especially Deborah. She’s inspired me from such a young age, and I hope I can do the same for someone else.”

Gary Neville said: “It’s an honour to be invited back into the Den and join the Dragons again. I met so many fantastic entrepreneurs last time and I’m excited to see the businesses that step into the Den this time around.”

Samantha Davies, Executive Producer, BBC Studios Entertainment said: “Audiences love the powerful combination of our much-loved regular Dragons and the fresh energy Guest Dragons bring to the Den - and this series, we’re going bigger than ever. We’re thrilled to welcome back Gary, alongside three formidable new business titans, all ready to uncover the next generation of bold, brilliant and disruptive entrepreneurs. There’s no better place to ignite that ambition than right here in the Den!”

Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC said: “Peter, Deborah, Touker and Steven - alongside the formidable guest Dragons - will promise to grill every aspiring entrepreneur who enters the Den, providing plenty of unmissable moments for viewers to look forward to.”

Dragons’ Den will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2026.