Overview
- Series 23 returned on Thursday, August 20, with Jenna Meek and Susie Ma joining Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones and Steven Bartlett to create the programme’s first episode featuring more female than male Dragons.
- Long‑running Dragons Sara Davies and Touker Suleyman left or stepped back earlier this year, and producers have filled their places with a rotating roster of guest investors.
- Guest Dragons this series include high‑profile names such as Tinie Tempah and Gary Neville alongside business founders, and the programme has staged episodes that mix celebrity guests with established Dragons.
- Jenna Meek is the co‑founder and CEO of beauty brand REFY and has been profiled in the press for rapid growth and industry recognition; tabloids report REFY turnover above £40m and a personal net worth near £52m, but those figures have limited independent verification.
- Producers’ use of influencer‑linked founders and celebrity guests signals a casting shift that may change the show’s tone and audience reach by blending mainstream publicity with investor scrutiny and founder storytelling.