Revealed: The amount the Dragons get paid to appear on Dragons’ Den is surprisingly high

Why did I think they just did the show for free?


Ok so did anyone else just assume the Dragons wouldn’t be paid to appear on Dragons’ Den? Here was me thinking they’d spend all day listening to pitches from entrepreneurs all for their own image and the chance at making money from the companies afterwards. But no, that’s definitely not the case!

The Dragons are actually paid a fair whack for their time in the Den, to add to their already huge net worths. In the business world, time truly is money.

Dragons paid Dragons' Den

via BBC

Ok, so how much are the Dragons paid to appear on Dragons’ Den?

Previous Dragon, Hilary Devay, revealed the Dragons are paid £15,000 for a 12 episode series. This works out at around £1,250 per working day filming, but she claimed the show did not pay for any expenses on top of this, which she was less than happy about.

Speaking about her pay when she was on the show, she told The Telegraph: “It’s a pittance. I can’t remember precisely but it’s something like £15,000 to do 12 episodes, and each episode means a 14 or 15-hour day. It doesn’t even cover your expenses. You make your money out of what you invest in.”

All of the Dragons are paid the same amount, regardless of how long they’ve been on the show. Deborah Meaden has previously confirmed the pay for all of them is the same, and this has never been an issue. “All Dragons are paid the same,” she said in a TV interview. “We are all upfront about it.”

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