Jamie Laing joins Dragons' Den Guest Dragons line-up ahead of the show's return in 2027
He joins Gary Neville, Jenna Meek and Susie Ma, who'll join Dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett throughout the series
The Dragons are back in business as the BBC’s long-running hit returns in 2027.
Den heavyweights Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett will be joined throughout the series by Tropic skincare supremo Susie Ma.Each episode will also feature one of the following:
REFY co-founder Jenna Meek, the entrepreneur behind one of the UK's fastest-growing beauty brands, with annual turnover exceeding £40 million; Gary Neville, the former footballer turned businessman and returning Guest Dragon, back for his third series in the Den; or Jamie Laing, who brings his entrepreneurial flair to the Den for the first time as a Guest Dragon.
This formidable cohort of business elites is set to strike fear into the hearts of a fresh wave of entrepreneurs.
Newest Guest Dragon Jamie Laing is an entrepreneur, broadcaster, producer, author and one of the UK’s most recognisable and versatile media personalities. Jamie joins the influential group of business leaders ready to back Britain's brightest business hopefuls and excite audiences on iPlayer and BBC One next year.
An entrepreneur at heart, Jamie is the co-founder of podcast production company Jampot Productions and co-founder of Candy Kittens, which has grown into one of Europe’s fastest-growing confectionery brands. In 2025, Jamie and the Candy Kittens Group acquired graze, further expanding his footprint across the food and consumer space. He hosts two chart-topping podcasts: NewlyParents and Great Company, the latter exploring the stories, personalities and ideas behind some of the world’s most successful businesses.
In broadcasting, Jamie starred in and executive produced the Disney+ Original series Raising Chelsea alongside his wife, Sophie Habboo. His work also includes presenting on BBC Radio 1 and appearing on BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing in 2020.
In 2025, Jamie raised over £2 million for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day, completing five consecutive ultra-marathons, covering more than 150 miles, over five days from London to Salford.
He is also the author of Boys Don’t Cry, which explores the importance of having open conversations around the subjects men can often find difficult to discuss.
Today, Jamie continues to evolve his career across broadcasting, production, entrepreneurship, writing and digital media.
Guest Dragon Susie Ma, has built one of the UK's fastest-growing beauty brands with an annual turnover of £68 million, she will join Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett in every episode, offering audiences and entrepreneurs alike fresh perspectives on the world of business.
Gary Neville says: "This will be my third season in the Den and I love every minute of it. I can’t wait to get back in there with the Dragons. For me, it’s always been about the entrepreneurs - their ambition, their stories and, ultimately, whether they’ve got what it takes to build a great business. I’m excited to see who walks through those doors this season."
Susie Ma says: "I’m so excited to be returning to the Den! I enjoyed the experience so much last time - there’s nothing quite like meeting someone with a brilliant idea and the courage to put everything behind it. I know how powerful it can be when someone believes in you and your vision, and having the chance to give that same belief to another entrepreneur feels like a full circle moment for me. I can’t wait to see what the next round of entrepreneurs bring to the Den."
Jenna Meek says: "I’m so excited to be joining Dragons’ Den for the second season as a guest. The first season was such an incredible experience – from meeting so many inspiring entrepreneurs to hearing their ideas, stories and ambitions, and being able to support them as they build and grow their businesses.
It's been amazing to see the energy, creativity and determination that goes into building a business, and I'm excited to be part of it all again. There’s so much to look forward to, and I know this is going to be a very exciting series. I can’t wait for everyone to see what’s coming."
Jamie Laing says: “I'm incredibly excited to be joining the Dragons and meeting the entrepreneurs brave enough to step into the Den. Building businesses has been such a huge part of my journey, and I know first-hand what it feels like when people don't believe in your idea, that sting stays with you. So I want to be the Dragon who does believe, who sees not only what's possible in someone's business even when others might not but sees the potential in the entrepreneur. There will always be challenges, mistakes and moments of doubt along the way, but they're often the most valuable experiences you can have. I can't wait to bring my own perspective to the Den, ask the right questions, share what I've learned, and help the entrepreneurs we meet take their businesses to the next level."
Samantha Davies, Executive Producer, BBC Studios Entertainment says: “This series sees one of the most exciting line-ups ever to enter the Den. Alongside our iconic Dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden and Steven Bartlett, we're thrilled to welcome back fan-favourites Gary Neville, Susie Ma and Jenna Meek, who continue to shake things up with their fresh perspectives and fearless approach to investing. We're also delighted to have Jamie Laing make his Den debut this series. He’s an exceptional entrepreneur with infectious energy and ambition, and we can’t wait for audiences to see what happens when he walks through those iconic lift doors.”
Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC says: “Dragons’ Den remains must-watch television because the ambition, risk and reward for the budding entrepreneurs are all very real indeed. Jamie Laing entering the Den as a Guest Dragon is an exciting prospect and he will be bringing a fresh perspective thanks to his experience of building a modern British business success story."
Dragons’ Den has seen 33 million viewer hours this year to date, across all available episodes on BBC iPlayer.
Dragons’ Den is commissioned for BBC One and iPlayer by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment Commissioning at the BBC. The programme is produced by BBC Studios Entertainment based in Glasgow, led by Creative Director Adeline Ramage Rooney. The Executive Producer for BBC Studios is Samantha Davies and the Series Producer is Martyn Bon. The Commissioning Editor for BBC Entertainment is Sarah Clay.
Dragons’ Den returns BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2027. Add Dragons’ Den to your Watchlist on BBC iPlayer now.
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Susie Ma
Susie Ma is the powerhouse behind Tropic Skincare — one of the UK’s fastest-growing beauty brands, with an annual turnover of over £68 million. Since starting the business at 15 years old, selling homemade body scrubs at Greenwich market to help her mum pay the bills, Susie has built Tropic into a multi-award-winning natural skincare company built on personal recommendation, with over 25,000 Ambassadors serving millions of customers.
After reaching the final stages of The Apprentice in 2011, Susie caught Lord Sugar’s attention with her determination and vision. Although she didn’t win the series, Lord Sugar saw her potential and invested £200,000 to become a partner in her business. In 2023, Susie bought out Lord Sugar’s stake and is now the sole owner of Tropic Skincare.
The company has won over 450 awards for its natural, organic, and clinically proven formulations which are freshly made in their Surrey Beauty Kitchen and certified by COSMOS and The Vegan Society.
Susie is a passionate advocate for purpose-led business, donating 10% of profits to charities and good causes that align with Tropic’s purpose to help create a healthier, greener, more empowered world. To date, Tropic and its Ambassador community have donated over £4 million, including funding over 7.7 million days of education, planting thousands of climate-resilient trees, restoring coral nursery reefs and delivering skin cancer awareness training.
Named in this year’s Sunday Times 40 Under 40 Rich List, Susie brings over 20 years of business experience and an inspiring entrepreneurial journey, as well as a heartfelt desire to empower other purpose-driven founders through her role as a Guest Dragon.
Jenna Meek
Jenna Meek is a serial entrepreneur and CEO whose passion for beauty and innovation has led to the creation of two trailblazing brands in the cosmetics industry.
In 2016 at the age of 20, Jenna launched her first venture, SHRINE, from her bedroom. Initially focusing on festival makeup and cosmetic glitter, the brand quickly gained international traction with pop-ups at global festivals. As environmental consciousness grew, Jenna pivoted the business to align with sustainability values. She relaunched SHRINE with an eco-friendly haircare product, Drop It, a hair dye innovation that is free from single use plastic. Jenna exited SHRINE with a successful sale in 2024.
In November 2020, she co-founded REFY alongside Jess Hunt. From its Manchester base, REFY has become one of the fastest-growing beauty brands in the UK with an annual turnover of more than £40m. The brand is now stocked in Selfridges, Brown Thomas and Sephora across the UK, Ireland, US & Canada, and the Middle East.
Jenna is a respected voice in the beauty and business communities, having shared her expertise on numerous podcasts and at leading industry events. Known for her sharp brand-building instincts and commitment to innovation, she continues to shape the future of beauty with purpose and vision.
Jenna and REFY have won multiple awards, including The Times Best Place To Work, Marie Claire’s Prix d’Excellence, a British Beauty Community Award, and Forbes 30 Under 30.
Gary Neville
Gary Neville is a footballing icon with a remarkable career achieving over 600 appearances for Manchester United, winning two UEFA Champions League titles, eight Premier League titles, three FA Cups and two League Cups whilst becoming England's most capped right-back with 85 senior caps. His achievements on the pitch led to him being inducted into the Premier League Hall Of Fame in 2025.
Post-retirement, Neville seamlessly transitioned into the world of media, becoming a highly-regarded commentator for Sky Sports.
Beyond the world of football and media, Gary is an accomplished businessman. Having started out as a property developer whilst playing for Manchester United in his early twenties, he’s since built a business empire with a portfolio that spans property, hospitality, education, media and sport.
His property development company, Relentless Developments, delivered the first phase of its landmark £400m St. Michael's project - 200,000 sqft of commercial and leisure space, and his media company, The Overlap, has produced one of sport's most popular shows in Stick To Football and recently saw media giant Global acquire a majority stake. The football club he co-owns with Sir David Beckham, Salford City FC, recently gained major investment, his University, UA92, has redefined the traditional model and his Stock Exchange Hotel is one of the top hotels in Manchester.
Gary’s journey from the football pitch to media and business has seen him become a regular Guest Dragon on hit BBC series Dragons’ Den alongside taking up a role as partner at international advisory firm Consello alongside Serena Williams and Tom Brady.
His achievements across the worlds of sport, media and business are a testament to his relentless drive and passion, leaving a huge mark on multiple fronts.
Jamie Laing
Jamie Laing is a British broadcaster, entrepreneur, producer, author and media personality, known for his work across television, radio, podcasting and business. Over the past decade, he has built a distinctive career spanning entertainment and entrepreneurship, establishing himself as one of the UK’s most recognisable and versatile media personalities.
An entrepreneur at heart, Jamie is the co-founder of podcast production company Jampot Productions and co-founder of Candy Kittens, which has grown into one of Europe’s fastest-growing confectionery brands. In 2025, Jamie and the Candy Kittens Group acquired graze, further expanding his footprint across the food and consumer space. He hosts two chart-topping podcasts: NewlyParents and Great Company, the latter exploring the stories, personalities and ideas behind some of the world’s most successful businesses.
Alongside his wife, Sophie Habboo, Jamie recently welcomed his first child and starred in and Executive Produced the Disney+ Original series Raising Chelsea, offering an intimate look at their journey into parenthood and a new chapter of Jamie’s life.
Jamie is also the author of Boys Don’t Cry, which explores masculinity, vulnerability, mental health, relationships and the importance of having open conversations around the subjects men can often find difficult to discuss.
In 2025, Jamie took on one of his most ambitious challenges to date for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day, completing five consecutive ultra-marathons over five days from London to Salford – covering more than 150 miles. Having never previously run more than 5km, Jamie raised over £2 million for charity through the challenge, while using his platform to champion conversations around mental health and resilience.
Jamie’s broadcasting career spans television and radio, including his work with BBC Radio 1 and his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing [BBC], where he reached the final and finished as runner-up in 2020.
Today, Jamie continues to evolve his career across broadcasting, production, entrepreneurship, writing and digital media, while bringing a more personal perspective to his work as a husband and new father.
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