Sara Davies joins Dragons’ Den

BBC Two has announced that the latest Dragon to enter the Den is entrepreneur Sara Davies, founder of worldwide crafting company, Crafter’s Companion.

Sara steps into the role following the departure of Jenny Campbell, who opted to leave the programme in February.  Sara hails from County Durham and at 35 years old she will be the youngest ever Dragon.

She founded Crafter’s Companion, a retail business specialising in craft tools – designing and manufacturing many of its own products, 13 years ago from her bedroom at university. She now turns over £34 million a year and employs more than 190 staff in UK, the US and across Europe.

Sara is the recipient of over 25 business awards and in 2016 she was recognised for services to the economy with an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.

“I’m absolutely delighted to join the other Dragons for the new series of the show. I’ve always been very passionate about investing time in and sharing my expertise with other entrepreneurs and hopefully I’ll be able to help some of the contestants to really take their businesses to the next level.

 

“I’ve been a fan of the show since it started, I was even invited to pitch on the show 13 years ago so it feels like I’ve come a full circle. It wasn’t all that long ago when I was in the position of the contestants so I really feel like I will be able to relate to their stories and their journeys so far. I understand the highs and lows of building a global business from the ground and taking that initial product idea all the way to market.

 

“I’m looking forward to getting started and hopefully being introduced to some businesses that I can really get excited about.” – Sara Davies

Sara is no stranger to television cameras having appeared on a number of shopping channels in the UK and USA as well as hosting her own craft programme, Be Creative TV. She will join the existing line-up of Dragons; Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Tej Lalvani and Touker Suleyman as they begin filming the seventeenth series in the Den.

Dragons’ Den launched on BBC Two in 2005 and sees budding entrepreneurs pitch their creations and business ideas – some more credible than others – to five millionaire experts, hoping to lure them into parting with their cash and into a business partnership. The series remains popular for BBC Two with over 2 million viewers regularly tuning in. 

“With a Bafta nomination and brilliant viewing figures, Dragons Den continues to be a fantastic show on BBC Two. Combining great aspirational opportunity with the promise of really challenging encounters with the Dragons, the show is going from strength to strength. Sara is a formidable business woman and I can’t wait to see her start in the Den.” – Patrick Holland, Controller of BBC Two

Sara will begin filming in the Den this spring, with the next series of Dragons’ Den expected to air on BBC Two later this summer. Dragons’ Den is a BBC Studios production.