Entrepreneur Ed Wray on his Time in

Dragons’ Den

It is part of every entrepreneurs dream to have their product or service featured on Dragons’ Den. With BBC audiences of around five million and endless repeats on Dave, the programme offers an instant marketing solution for new businesses with the opportunity of a cash injection and business advice from the experienced Dragons themselves.

Ed Wray, designer of the BarbeSkew, the most innovative BBQ on the market, started his company in 2007 and was featured on Dragons’ Den in 2008 and on Dragons on Tour in 2009. Ed was spotted by the Dragons’ Den production team when he was talking at the British Library about how he set up his business in early 2008. The production team chased Ed and asked him to post his application form to a “special email address” where it would get “priority consideration”.

What followed was a one hour phone interview followed by practice pitches at the BBC TV Centre and ultimately the final invite to Pinewood Studios for the actual filming. Around 10 contestants are invited to a days filming and every effort is made to keep the contestants well away from the Dragons so no contact is made before the show. Filming of each of the 10 contestants climbing a set of (fake) stairs take place and then each contestant waits for their turn to be called.

It quickly becomes apparent that some contestants have been through the whole process before and have waited in the Green Room all day without being called due to time running out. Small bite size filming takes place whilst waiting providing the BBC with clips for their website.

Finally you get called. You walk through the maze of Pinewood Studios (trying to spot James Bond) and then wait at the bottom of the stairs with your heart pounding …..