Former footballer Gary Neville is set to make a return to the popular business show Dragons’ Den for the upcoming series. This will be his second appearance on the show, following his debut in 2024. Neville, who began his career as a property developer while playing professionally, was one of the first guest dragons to appear on the program and is now set to rejoin in 2026.
In addition to Neville, several other high-profile figures will join the show as guest dragons. These include rapper Tinie Tempah, entrepreneur Jenna Meek, and former Apprentice star Susie Ma. They will be joining the returning resident dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, and Steven Bartlett.
Tinie Tempah, known for hits such as "Pass Out" and "Miami 2 Ibiza," is also the co-founder of record label Disturbing London and publishing company Imhotep. In 2022, he launched a soul food brand called RAPS with chef Hasan Semay (Big Has) and the food incubator Kitchen Ventures. Earlier this year, he founded his own record label, Imhotep Records.
Tempah expressed his excitement about joining the show, saying: “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 gained fame after reaching the final of the 2011 series of The Apprentice, even though she did not win the show. However, she secured investment from Lord Sugar for her natural skincare company. In 2023, she bought out Lord Sugar’s stake and became the sole owner of Tropic Skincare.
Ma shared her enthusiasm for the opportunity, stating: “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, the co-founder of REFY, one of the UK's fastest-growing beauty brands, is also joining the show. REFY is stocked in major retailers such as Selfridges, Brown Thomas, and Sephora across the UK, Ireland, US, Canada, and the Middle East.
Meek shared her excitement about the opportunity, saying: “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.”
Executive producer Samantha Davies commented on the significance of the new additions, saying: “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.”
Dragons’ Den is set to return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2026. The show continues to be a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and gain valuable support from industry leaders.