By Alex Lee

Copyright independent

It’s all been a bit stop-start for Dragons’ Den this year. The BBC’s long-running business show first returned for series 22 in January, went on hiatus one month later, came back for a single episode in July, then went off air once again.

But Dragons’ Den fans, we come bearing good news. The show is back on Thursday (2 October), and it’s back for real this time – at least, until the series concludes at the end of this month. Taking their seats once again, Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Steven Bartlett and Sara Davies will appraise a batch of new entrepreneurs, but will any of them impress?

In the den on Thursday, we have everything from an AI-powered stove monitor that can detect fires before they begin to an African beauty brand and a non-alcoholic drink business. Plus, there’s even a unique shoe deodoriser. Here’s everything you need to know about the businesses pitching this evening.

First up in the den is self-confessed serial inventor Samuel Bailey, who wants to eradicate the risk of fires starting when cooking at home. But will the dragons see the potential in his tech-powered fire safety product?

Launched in 2021, the Pippa device is a little monitor that sticks to the wall above your stove and monitors the temperature of all of your pots and pans. According to Pippa, it can detect when a pan is going to burn several minutes before it happens, giving you audible warnings so you know ahead of time.

If you’ve left the stove on and aren’t at home, it can also give you a call or text to alert you. The device also doubles up as a smart cooking assistant, telling you when your chicken or pasta is at the right cooking temperature. The Pippa device itself costs £179.99, but if you want the phone alerts, you’ll have to pay for the subscription, which costs £39.99 a year.

Next up in the den are Liha Okunniwa and Abi Oyepitan, co-founders of African bodycare brand Liha Beauty. Boasting celebrity fans that include Lenny Kravitz, FKA Twigs and Beyonce’s stylist Zerina Akers, will the dragons join the pack?

First founded in Okunniwa and Oyepitan’s kitchens in 2014, Liha Beauty blends African botanicals with English aromatherapy to create a range of bodycare products. They include everything from its idan body oil and its oju omi mud cleanser to its orinrin cleansing balm and its shea butter; all of the brand’s ingredients are ethically sourced from Nigeria and Ghana. You can buy Liha’s products from its website and Sephora.

Read more: We’ve reviewed all the best beauty products to buy in 2025

Third in the den are Bethan Higson and Alice Galsworthy, the founder and chief operating officer of non-alcoholic drink brand Mother Root, who walk into the den looking to quench the dragons’ thirst for cash with their sophisticated aperitif.

Launched in 2018 after Higson became pregnant and found herself wanting a flavoursome drink, but without the alcohol, Mother Root Ginger is an aperitif made with organic apple cider vinegar, blossom honey, organic ginger juice, ginger extract and chilli extract. Intended to be mixed with soda water, each 500ml bottle serves 20 drinks. It can be bought from Amazon (£29.95, Amazon.co.uk) and Mother Root (£29.94, Motherroot.com) directly.

Read more: Best alcohol-free spirits in 2025

Last in the den is Phil Osband, a former climbing instructor who thinks he’s found the solution to stinky shoes with a unique deodoriser. But will he and his pitch come up smelling of roses?

Founded in 2012, Boot Bananas is a sustainable shoe care brand that sells a number of accessories that stop your shoes from smelling. The flagship product is the Boot Banana, a banana-shaped deodoriser made with a blend of odour-neutralising salts, minerals and botanicals, including lavender, lemon, patchouli and tea-tree.

They slot neatly into shoes and boots, and like actual bananas, turn brown when they’re ready to be replaced. You can buy the deodoriser from Amazon (£14.99, Amazon.co.uk) and Boot Bananas (£14.99, Bootbananas.com) directly.

Catch up on the previous Dragons’ Den episodes with our handy recap