By Meghna Amin
Copyright manchestereveningnews
The BBC has officially announced the return of Dragons’ Den after a hiatus. First broadcast in 2005, the entrepreneurial show is now in its 22nd series with Deborah Meaden , Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman, Steven Bartlett and Sara Davies leading the charge. This year saw the introduction of Joe Wicks , Trinny Woodall and Emma Grede across various episodes, and the BBC competition is now set to make a comeback. Initially airing at the start of the year, the programme took a break in February, returned for a few episodes in July, before being paused again due to scheduling changes. The remaining five episodes of this year’s series will be broadcast from Thursday, October 2, with the synopsis hinting: “Dragons’ Den continues as a new group of entrepreneurs attempt to impress five of the brightest business brains in the country,” reports Lancs Live . As reported by MailOnline, it further reads: “Entrepreneurs that dare to approach the Den in this new batch of episodes include university friends who hope the shea-er brilliance of their rejuvenating body care brand will shine through, two sisters selling an app to empower women returning to work, a Welsh ranger delivering a prehistoric pitch for educational dinosaurs and a passionate Scottish entrepreneur who showcases her line of natural tattoo aftercare products.” The announcement of Dragons’ Den’s return follows news that Sara Davies will be stepping down. The entrepreneur became part of the show in 2019, but is now set to concentrate on her own ventures, keeping the possibility open for a potential comeback in the future. She revealed in an Instagram post: “Little update from me….. “As this last run of Dragons’ comes to an end I have to say I’ve loved every minute of this series so far and I’m so proud of the businesses I’ve invested in this year! “As a lot of you will know, I’ve taken up my position again as CEO of Crafter’s Companion and my business is my big priority this year. And when I commit to a business, I really commit, which is why I find Dragons’ Den such a rewarding role. “As well as filming an incredible show, being a Dragon requires so much dedication and time behind the scenes as you join the life of each business you invest in. “It means seeing through your investment and committing to your part in that organisation. It’s so much more than a TV show. “That’s why I’ve taken the decision to step away from the Den for now, to focus on my own business, which was my first baby! So I won’t be filming with the team this year for the next series.” She finished by saying: “Sending so much love to my fellow Dragons and the amazing team behind it all. In the meantime, you can still catch me in the second half of this series of Dragons’ Den later in the year – it will not disappoint!” Dragons’ Den returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Thursday, October 2.
