Who are the Dragons on Dragons' Den? New guest stars announced

Dragons' Den is a favourite with BBC One viewers, having run since 2005 and still going strong - with its 22nd series due to debut in 2025.

Over the years, the five Dragons' chairs have seen some formidable business minds choose whether or not to invest in the business ideas brought to them. It has now been announced that the new series will see the return of Emma Grede as a guest Dragon, after her successful stint in the last series.

And Joe Wicks and Trinny Woodall will be joining as new guest Dragons.

As the news is announced, we take a look at every Dragon who has taken part in the show so far and what they're doing now.

Peter Jones – series 1-present

Peter Jones is the only original Dragon left on the show, having appeared in every one of the 19 series so far.

The entrepreneur has interests in mobile phones, TV, media, leisure, retail and property, and has seen a huge number of hopeful guests enter the Den over the years.

He doesn't hold anything back in his opinions, whether that is with the guests hoping for his investment, or his fellow Dragons.

Simon Woodroffe – series 1

One of the original stars of the series, he only stuck around for the first season before giving up chair number two.

Woodroffe is best known for founding the conveyor belt sushi bar chain YO! Sushi and the airport hotel chain Yotel, and lives on a million-pound houseboat.

Doug Richard – series 1-2

Another of the starting line-up, Richard starred in two series of Dragons' Den.

The US businessman specialises in mobile phones and tech, and has worked as a government advisor on small businesses and apprenticeships.

In 2016, he was in court facing a number of child sex charges, but was found not guilty.

Duncan Bannatyne – series 1-12

Scottish entrepreneur Duncan Bannatyne was another big star of the show who spent the first 12 series sitting in the Den.

He is known for his hotel, health club and spa interests but also takes his charity work seriously and has even been awarded an OBE for his charity contributions.

Rachel Elnaugh – series 1-2

The last of the starting team of Dragons, Rachel Elnaugh appeared in the first two series and is the founder of gift experience company Red Letter Days.

Theo Paphitis – series 2-10 and 17

Although he wasn't one of the original cast, Theo Paphitis's name is forever associated with the show as he served from series two to 10 and later returned in series 17 to cover for Touker Suleyman who had pneumonia.

Paphitis is a retail magnate who has had connections with La Senza, Ryman, Robert Dyas and Boux Avenue, and was also a chairman of Millwall Football Club.

Deborah Meaden – series 3-present

Aside from Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden is the longest-serving Dragon – she joined in series three and has been with the show ever since.

Meaden's business experience has included a family holiday business, textiles and various luxury retail ventures, and she took part in the 2013 series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Richard Farleigh – series 3-4

Australian investor Richard Farleigh spent two series on the show and his business interests have included running a hedge fund in Bermuda, setting up London private members' club Home House, and investing in tech and microelectronics.

James Caan – series 5-8

James Caan is often thought of as one of the stars of the series, but he only actually appeared as a Dragon for four of them. His ventures have included recruitment, head hunting and private equity, and he chairs the government's Start-Up Loans Scheme.

Hilary Devey – series 9-10

Hilary Devey served for two series in the Den after making her fortune with a palletised freight network, but Dragons' Den wasn't the only TV show she was known for.

She also appeared in other business and investment-themed programmes including The Secret Millionaire and The Intern.

Devey died in June 2022 aged 65, at her holiday home in Marrakech. She was said to have been suffering from a long illness.

Piers Linney – series 11-12

Piers Linney, who has also appeared in The Secret Millionaire, was on Dragons' Den for two series and is known for his career in the City and interests in banking, IT and cloud computing. He has regularly been named on lists of influential and successful Black business leaders.

Kelly Hoppen – series 11-12

Interior designer Kelly Hoppen joined the show for two series as one of the more familiar faces to sit in the Den. As well as her interior design work, she has her own range of homewares and has made various TV appearances judging competitions and offering design advice.

Nick Jenkins – series 13-14

Joining the show for series 13 and 14 was Nick Jenkins, although viewers might be more familiar with his business than his name - he's the founder of online greetings card company moonpig.com.

Touker Suleyman – series 13-present

Back in series 13, current Dragon Touker Suleyman made his debut on the show alongside Jenkins and Sarah Willingham, but is the only one of the three to have stuck around long term.

He is a giant of the retail world, having bought and invested in brands such as Hawes & Curtis, Ghost, a luxury handbag label and various cycling and shoe companies.

Suleyman took a brief break from Dragons' Den in series 17 after getting pneumonia, with Paphitis filling in for him.

Sarah Willingham – series 13-14

Two-series Dragon Willingham has a huge amount of experience in hospitality, with her career highlights including having bought The Bombay Bicycle Club and invested in London Cocktail Club and Craft Gin Club. She is also the founder of Nightcap PLC, which runs brands including Cocktail Club, Barrio Familia and Adventure Bar Group.

Tej Lalvani – series 15-18

Tej Lalvani was a Den regular for four series, until he stepped down for the most recent one. He took over his father's company, Vitabiotics, as CEO, runs a property investment business, and likes to share his insights with other entrepreneurs, having been listed as one of LinkedIn's Top Voices.

Jenny Campbell – series 15-16

Banking pro Jenny Campbell joined the Den for two series with a background of many years working for RBS and then as the owner of ATM provider YourCash.

She only invested in five businesses during her time on the show and then left to support her sons' entrepreneurial ventures. Campbell also recently competed at Crufts with her dog, taking part in the 2020 show.

Sara Davies – series 17-present

She might have only joined in series 17, but Sara Davies has already become a popular Dragon with viewers. Davies set up her hugely successful craft supplies business, Crafter's Companion, while she was still a university student.

She took part in the 2021 series of Strictly Come Dancing and has said the possibility of getting on the BBC dance show, which she is a huge fan of, was a big part of her decision to sign up to Dragons' Den after seeing Meaden take part in an earlier series.

Steven Bartlett – series 19-present

The most recent Dragon to join the Den is also the youngest the show has ever signed.

Steven Bartlett joined in series 19 and while he is only 29, he has already proven his impressive business skills by founding social media marketing agency The Social Chain at 22 and taking it public at 27, with the company now worth over £300m.

He has said he got his introduction to the world of business by watching Dragons' Den from 12 years old and also runs an incredibly successful podcast about being a CEO which has interviewed Liam Payne and Matt Hancock as guests.

Gary Neville (guest Dragon) – series 21

Commentator and former footballer was a guest Dragon when Dragons' Den returned for its 21st series in 2024.

Speaking of his arrival in the Den, Neville said: “It’s a pleasure to join the Dragons as a guest for the new series and see some of the amazing pitches from budding entrepreneurs from different walks of life.

"It was a privilege to share my knowledge and guidance with the brave entrepreneurs who entered the Den, but you’ll have to wait and see whether I committed to any investments!”

Emma Grede (guest Dragon) – series 21-present

Entrepreneur and fashion designer Emma Grede also joined series 21 as a guest Dragon, putting would-be business partners to the test, and will return for series 22.

“Being back in the UK and joining this series as a Guest Dragon has been amazing and feels very full circle to me," said Grede.

"Being able to share my own knowledge from the business I’ve built with the entrepreneurs is so important, there’s a lot of major talent in this upcoming series, and I hope it inspires the next generation to create opportunities for themselves.”

Joe Wicks (guest Dragon) – series 22

Joe Wicks – aka the Body Coach - is set to join the series in 2025.

His career in the fitness and wellness industry began when he launched a bootcamp and personal training business, attracting clients by handing out flyers on the street. Wicks' star really started to rise during the coronavirus pandemic, when he held weekday online exercise sessions for children who were off school.

He is now well-known for his online HIIT workouts, recipes, best-selling books and fitness app. The star has also raised millions for charities through initiatives such as his 24 Hour Workout Challenge for Children in Need.

“I can't wait to step into the Den as a Guest Dragon and meet all the brilliant and passionate entrepreneurs," he said. "My own journey has shown me that with the right mindset and a lot of hard work, anything is possible. I’m really looking forward to sharing my experiences and hopefully helping some amazing businesses reach their full potential.”

Trinny Woodall (guest Dragon) – series 22

Trinny Woodall is best known for her BBC TV show What Not to Wear, which she did with friend Susannah Constantine in the early noughties.

She is still big in the fashion and beauty scene, and is the founder and CEO of global, digital-first beauty brand, Trinny London. Since founding the firm seven years ago, she has scaled the business into a global brand.

"Building and growing my beauty brand has been one of the great experiences of my life," said the star. "I'm delighted to join the next series of Dragons' Den as a Guest Dragon, and look forward to discovering the fantastic ideas and passion that the entrepreneurs will bring to the table. I’m looking forward to sharing insights from my own entrepreneurial journey, and hope I can play a part in helping these businesses achieve their goals.”

Dragons’ Den will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2025.