“A FORMER Dragons’ Den contestant has hit out at the BBC show branding it ‘disingenuous’ and ‘misleading’ – revealing she’s yet to see the stars make good on their investments. Charlotte Clemence, 50, appeared on the reality TV show with her husband Grant back in 2024, hoping to win over the famous Dragons with her”, — write: www.thesun.co.uk
Charlotte Clemence, 50, appeared on the reality TV show with her husband Grant back in 2024, hoping to win over the famous Dragons with her company Yard Art.
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Charlotte and Grant Clemence went to the Dragons with their business Yard ArtCredit: BBC
The duo accepted a double investment of £50,000
But two years on, Charlotte claims she’s still waiting for the moguls to make their investmentCredit: Facebook The business provides outdoor wall art that aims to transform garden walls with unique and inspiring designs.
Charlotte’s pitch proved to be a hit with the millionaire moguls at the time, with both Sara Davies and Steven Bartlett promising to invest a total of £50,000 in the venture.
Yet almost two years on, the entrepreneur claims she was ‘ghosted’ by the production team and Sara and Steven who failed to follow through on their investments.
“Quite simply I think the show is disingenuous,” she said in a new interview with The Mirror.
“The viewers are being misled. It’s appalling. I cannot believe the way they treated me and I suspect I’m not the only one.
“After the filming took place in Manchester they ghosted me for months on end. You are left in limbo not knowing what’s going on.”
A Dragons’ Den spokesperson said: “Dragons’ Den is a well-established TV programme about real business and investments, and we are proud of the many successful deals and upward trajectory of businesses after their time in the Den.
“Once a deal has been struck in the Den, all entrepreneurs and deals enter a further period of customary rigorous due diligence with the Dragons and, as is often the case in the real world, deals can fall through.
“We take the duty of care to all our entrepreneurs very seriously and our protocols are always evolving.”
Charlotte said she had to chase the team after appearing on the show but with little luck.
“The communication was terrible. We just didn’t know what was going on.”
The savvy business recalled her experience with Sara and Stephen post-filming, with the latter explaining why he didn’t make good on his promise.
According to Charlotte, when she later spoke to Steven, he told her the programme was “primarily entertainment”.
Meanwhile, Sara – who has since left the show – made some “bold statements” to Charlotte after show filming but then never heard from her again.
Charlotte claims she never heard from Sara Davies again following show filming
Despite being ‘ghosted’ by the Dragons, Yard Art has gone from strength to strength since appearing on the showCredit: Instagram/@yardartinternational “After the show she gave me a hug and said she was going to make me very successful,” claims the Yard Art founder.
“She said she fully realised how hard it was as a working mum to make a business work.
“She made some bold statements – you don’t do that to people,” Charlotte added. “I never spoke to her ever again. Not once.”
Fortunately, the business has thrived since her and Grant’s TV appearance, but Charlotte can’t shake the narrative that the show presented.
“I still meet mums and dads at school parents’ evenings who believe I’ve got a deal with the Dragons,” she explained. “It’s not true and I feel let down.”
Dragons’ Den returns for its twenty-third series tonight, with Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, and Steven Bartlett back in the chairs.
Viewers will also see guest Dragons grace their screens including a returning Gary Neville, plus Jenna Meek, and Susie Ma.
An brand-new series of Dragons’ Den arrives on screens this weekCredit: BBC Comments