When Is Dragons’ Den Back? (2026 Series)

Last updated 8 July 2026. This is a living page, refreshed as the BBC confirms new air dates.

Dragons' Den is back in 2026. Series 23 opened on BBC One on Thursday 29 January 2026 and ran for seven episodes to 12 March, and the BBC has confirmed that more episodes from the series will air later in the year. So the show is not off the air, it is between the two halves of a split run.

That split-run pattern is now normal for the Den, which makes the honest answer to when is it back a little more layered than a single date. Here is what is confirmed for 2026, what is still to be announced, and how the BBC tends to schedule the show.

When does Dragons' Den return in 2026?

The first block of series 23 aired weekly from 29 January 2026 in the 8pm slot on BBC One, wrapping on 12 March after seven episodes. The BBC has said further episodes from the same series will follow later in 2026, which is how recent series have been handled: a run early in the year, then a second batch in the autumn or winter.

If you are catching up rather than watching live, the episodes that have aired are available as a box set on BBC iPlayer, so you can watch the 2026 series from the start whenever you like.

What is confirmed and what is still to be announced?

Confirmed: series 23 is airing across 2026, the resident Dragons are Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett, and a rotating guest Dragon fills the fifth chair. Also confirmed is that this is Touker Suleyman's final series, after his June 2026 announcement that he is leaving the show.

Still to be announced: the exact air dates for the second block of series 23 episodes, and anything about a series 24 in 2027, including who might replace Touker on the panel. The BBC typically confirms specific dates only a few weeks ahead, so a precise return date for the back half of 2026 is the piece most likely to firm up soon.

How does the BBC schedule Dragons' Den?

The scheduling has shifted over the years. The very first episode aired on 4 January 2005 on BBC Two, and for much of the show's early life new series ran in the middle of the year. Since moving to BBC One, recent series have tended to open in January and then return with more episodes later in the same year, splitting a single series across two windows.

That is worth knowing if you are trying to predict the next run. Rather than one long uninterrupted series, expect the Den to arrive in January, take a break, and come back for a second stretch, with the exact dates confirmed closer to the time.

There is a reason the format lends itself to a break. A single series is filmed as one long block, then cut into episodes, so the BBC can hold some back and use them to fill a later slot in the schedule. For viewers, the practical effect is simple: if the Den seems to disappear mid-year, it has usually not ended, it is just waiting for its second window.

Where can you watch Dragons' Den?

New episodes air first on BBC One, and everything streams on BBC iPlayer, both live and on demand. Older series are also available as box sets on iPlayer, so there is plenty to watch between the two halves of the current run.

For a different flavour of the same format, the American Shark Tank and Shark Tank India are the closest relatives, both built from the identical Japanese template that Dragons' Den came from. Curiously, the two shows are about to overlap in cast: current Dragon Steven Bartlett is a guest shark on the American Shark Tank in 2026, a neat sign of how connected the versions are.

Common questions

Is Dragons' Den back in 2026? Yes. Series 23 aired from 29 January 2026 on BBC One, with more episodes confirmed for later in the year.

What day is Dragons' Den on? The 2026 series opened on Thursday evenings at 8pm on BBC One.

Is there a new series of Dragons' Den? Yes, series 23 is the current series, and it is Touker Suleyman's last.

Where can I watch Dragons' Den? On BBC One when it airs, and on BBC iPlayer for live and on-demand viewing, including box sets of earlier series.