Inside rise and fall of original Dragons’ Den bosses from shock axing and failed investments to tragic death | The Sun

THE original Dragons' Den bosses have gone through dramatic rises and falls from a shock axing and failed investments to a tragic death.

It has been revealed that former Dragons' Den regular Hilary Devey didn't leave a penny in her will after her death at 65 – despite having built an £80million fortune.

Mystery surrounds what happened to her money, which went unmentioned in probate documents showing her UK will.

She endured a series of setbacks over many years before her death at her Marrakech holiday home in Morocco in June 2022 following a long illness.

BBC show Dragons' Den features entrepreneurs putting their arguments for why the expert panel should invest in their ideas.

Hilary is not the only one of the Dragons' past judges to suffer lows as well as the highs of multi-million-pound business success.

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Richard Farleigh

Australian businessman Richard Farleigh admitted he was "gutted" when dropped as one of the Dragons.

He appeared in the third and fourth series, gaining a reputation for as one of the keenest investors while offering constructive criticism.

But he was abruptly axed from the programme in 2007, despite having moved to the UK to focus more closely on his work as a Dragon.

Before joining the show he was an investment banker for ten years and ran a hedge fund in Bermuda, earning enough to retire by 34 and move to Monte Carlo.

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But he also invested capital in British technology companies.

The BBC said it was a "very amicable" decision to part ways.

But Richard at the time: "I have thoroughly enjoyed being a Dragon – it is an illustrious group.

"I was looking forward to taking part in the next series – I had even moved back to the UK to focus on commitments for the show.

"I am gutted that I have not been invited to be back part of the new series."

His replacement as a Dragon was tycoon James Caan, who remained for four series before quitting in 2011.

He said he wanted to devote more time to "existing investments" and "philanthropic work".

Rachel Elnaugh

Rachel Elnaugh was one of the original Dragons, appearing as an investor in the first two series on BBC Two in 2005 ahead of its later move to BBC One.

She had made her name setting up experience day voucher firm Red Letter Days in 1989, allowing people to buy gifts such as spa days and hot air ballooning.

But there was embarrassment when she was forced to sell the firm after it went into administration in 2005, at a time when she was appearing on Dragons' Den.

There were complaints about suppliers going unpaid and customers being left out of pocket for purchases.

Red Letter Days, which once had a turnover of £18million, foundered after trying to branch out into supermarket distribution.

Two of Rachel's fellow Dragons, Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis, actually bought her former firm's remaining assets and goods.

She wrote a book three years later called Business Nightmares.

She has since founded Source TV, a digital publishing and marketing platform.

But Rachel has also courted controversy, being a strident anti-vaxxer during the pandemic and claiming Covid jabs for 12-to-15-year-olds amounted to "child abuse".

In 2020 widely criticised for posting on X, then called Twitter, that Britain's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty "would hang" for recommending kids be given Covid jabs.

She has been running what she called a “safe haven away from the threat of humanity”, using a plot of ancient woodland to host “shamanic rituals”.

But she found herself in a fierce row with neighbours earlier this year over her plans for her 70-acre site in Derbyshire's Peak District.

Hilary Devey

Hilary, born in Bolton in Greater Manchester, was one of the most high-profile Dragons' Den judges but her time on the show was brief.

She joined Dragons' Den panel in February 2011 after Caan's departure.

But she announced she was leaving in June 2012, after being tempted away by Channel 4 and more high-paying two-year deal.

She appeared on other business-related TV programmes such as The Secret Millionaire and The Intern and was also a panellist on ITV daytime programme Loose Women.

Hilary had made her first £1million aged 40 after setting up freight network company Pall-Ex.

And what became her £80million fortune included lavish mansions in London, Staffordshire and Florida, as well as holiday villas in Spain and Morocco.

Her death in June 2022 shocked viewers as well as her former Dragons colleagues who paid fond tributes.

Details of her will later revealed she bequeathed a large diamond cross to her friend Aubrey Mulligan.

She also left her personal effects to her trustees – her son Mevlit as well as her publicist and lawyer – to be distributed as set out in a letter kept private.

But there was no mention of any money, despite her estimated £80million estate.

Hilary told in interviews of her tough upbringing and unhappy relationships.

She was married and divorced three times and had son Mevlit by ex-partner Hussain Ahmett, who she later found was already married and had five more children.

Hilary's own mum had made a similar discovery about already-married husband Arthur Brewster who had four kids with another woman.

Bailiffs emptied the family home when Hilary was four after her dad's company collapsed and he later worked in pubs, which meant frequent moves across the country.

Hilary has also revealed in interviews being sexually abused at the age of 12, by a predator who kidnapped her one night.

Hilary suffered a stroke in 2009, leaving her with no sensation in her left arm and without some of her peripheral vision.

She became patron of the Stroke Association and also served as vice-president of the Carers' Trust.

When she received a CBE in 2013 it was for services to the transport industry and charity.

Duncan Bannatyne

One of the show's original Dragons in 2005 was Duncan Bannatyne, who bowed out after ten years saying he didn't want to make any more investments.

He said at the time: "I thought it fair to offer my seat to someone else."

Bannatyne had reportedly been one of those unhappy amid disputes surrounding Elnaugh's firm collapsing and fellow Dragons Jones and Paphitis getting involved.

Bannatyne had made his fortune with a chain of nursing firms, which he sold in 1996 before founding Bannatyne Health Club & Spa.

After quitting as a Dragon he took part in the 2015 series of I’m A Celebrity, donating his fee to the charity Operation Smile.

Theo Paphitis

Former Millwall football club chairman Theo Paphitis stepped down from his role as a Dragon in 2013.

He said at the time: "The time felt right to give up my seat, stop breathing fire and allow someone else to enjoy the wonderful experience of being a Dragon.

"So it just leaves it for me to say thank you to all past and present Dragons. I am out."

The Greek-Cypriot entrepreneur had begun building his wealth by selling watches before setting up his own finance firm.

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He later invested in the telecoms industry, bought stationery retailers Rymans when it went bankrupt.

He still owns that firm, as well as others including hardware chain Robert Dyas.

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