August 14th, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
Duncan Bannatyne has admitted that his business career got off to a dangerous start, when he bought his first ice cream van for £450.
The Dragons’ Den star bought the mobile business in the 80s and went on to expand to a fleet of six, despite being threatened and attacked by rival confectionery sellers.
However it all worked out ok in the end and the man who is now a millionaire, sold the entire fleet when he discovered that his initial investment was worth £28,000.
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August 14th, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
Dragons’ Den continues with a fresh set of fervent entrepreneurs each hoping to receive cash investment for their company, idea or invention. With multi-millionaire investor Hilary Devey now firmly settled into the line-up, this is a business meeting to test even the most composed and prepared of people.
Tonight, the Den is full of family businesses. Tim and Meena Kalia and their business partner, Tricia Tierney, try to talk the Dragons into investing in their innovative new litter trays for dogs … but, instead, they talk themselves into trouble. Can they find a way to turn their pitch around?
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August 7th, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
Liz and Alan Colleran were seen on tonight’s Dragons’ Den securing an investment of £80,000 from the show’s newest business expert Hilary Devey.
The couple entered the Den, telling the panel they have been married for 28 years and pitching to them their product, the Raskelf Portable Memory Foam mattress topper.
It started well, as the experts seemed keen on the product, however the pitch started to fall apart when Deborah Meaden asked what their annual wage bill is, and the duo couldn’t break it down.
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August 7th, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
The new series of Dragons’ Den continues with eight more intrepid entrepreneurs pitching to the multi-millionaire investors.
Londoners Krissy Sims and Kerry O’Brien, AKA DJ Trickles and Lady MC, enter the Den with a state-of-the-art turntable extravaganza in the back of their 4×4. The Dragons are often happy to demo a product but it’s the business and how it makes money that remains their ultimate concern.
Husband-and-wife team Liz and Alan Colleran from Dewsbury may be pitching their comfy caravan product, but will their Den experience be quite so luxurious and comfortable?
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August 3rd, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
Dragons’ Den star Duncan Bannatyne was forced to delete some angry Twitter messages last night, in which he encouraged his followers to act violently.
After an anonymous user tried to scare the business guru by threatening his daughter, Duncan wrote on the micro blogging website:
“I offer £25,000 reward for the capture of the coward… – Double if his arms are broken first. I am serious btw (by the way).”
However, thinking better of his comments, he later deleted the message and replaced the tweet with one saying:
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July 31st, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
It may be a time of austerity in the UK but not so in the Dragons’ Den … business is booming as the self-made multimillionaires return, ready to invest in the best of Britain’s entrepreneurs.
While the rules of the Den remain the same, there is one change in the form of new Dragon Hilary Devey, who joins returning Dragons Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis, Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones.
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July 29th, 2011 by Sarah.
Hollywood stars Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp have reportedly “pitched an idea” to the stars of Dragons’ Den.
Bang Showbiz report that the pair were working at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire, with the Helena’s partner Tim Burton when they were interrupted by the Dragons, Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis, Deborah Meaden, and Hilary Devey…
And after confessing her love for the programme, Helena – who has two children, Billy, seven, and Nell, three, with Tim – then pitched her idea to the group, enlisting Johnny’s help to do so.
A source said: “Johnny was delighted to meet the Dragons, and Tim and Helena were telling them they are avid fans and watch every week.
“Helena was very excited and started to pitch a ‘Prambrella’, basically a pram that features its own umbrella when it rains… Read more & comment »
July 28th, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
Duncan Bannatyne has revealed that Hilary Devey will show her tough side during the first episode of the new Dragons’ Den series.
The 54 year old businesswoman – who made her fortune launching Pall-Ex, a palletised freight network – will join the panel of the BBC Two show this summer and Duncan admitted that more than one hopeful entrepreneur will find themselves experiencing her wrath.
He told BBC Radio 1 DJ Chris Moyles: “I’m trying to think what happens in the first episode, I just remember watching Hilary – twice she has a go [at people] she really goes for it.
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July 21st, 2011 by Sarah.
New Dragons’ Den star Hilary Devey has been telling The Sun how she went from being so poor as a child she didn’t get Christmas presents, to becoming one of the country’s richest women.
And even though her personal wealth is estimated to be in the region of £100million, Hilary’s not ready to retire just yet.
But she’s conquered a string of personal set backs to get to where she is today, including failed marriages and enduring the agony of her son’s heroin addiction.
Speaking to TV Biz, Hilary said of joining Dragons’ Den, “I have always been a fan of the show and I was so pleased when the BBC asked me to be on it.”
She then moved on to discussing her private life and how she’s overcome adversity, saying, “I had no money and went without Christmas presents. I only owned three dresses even though it was important I looked smart every day.
“It was so hard. I never gave up because I always knew I would succeed but I had to sacrifice so much. I didn’t, and I still don’t, have a social life. I am always working.”
Hilary went on to reveal that when she had a tummy tuck operation, she suffered a stroke… Read more & comment »
April 4th, 2011 by Lisa McGarry.
Theo Paphitis has fuelled a row between himself and Duncan Bannatyne, by claiming that he has had more plastic surgery than American TV star Joan Rivers.
The pair work together on BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den and speaking to The Sun, he said:
“There is no aftermarket equipment with me, but there is with some of the others. Dugan, (Duncan) has had more work done than Joan Rivers.
“It’s frightening – you should see the stitches sometimes.
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