Sara Davies explains why Dragons’ Den exit as ‘Not Fair’

Sara Davies, a former cast member of Dragons’ Den, shared a significant career update and explained why remaining on the BBC series would have been “not fair” to her entrepreneurs.

As the youngest female “Dragon” ever, Sara Davies joined the popular BBC program in 2019 at the age of 35, replacing Jenny Campbell. Alongside veterans like Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden, Sara quickly became a fan favorite. Fans were taken aback last year when she revealed she was leaving the show to focus on her role as CEO of Crafter’s Companion, the retail company she founded in her university bedroom in 2005.

While the show has begun featuring guest Dragons, no long-term successor for Sara has been announced. In the upcoming episodes, the regular Dragons will be joined by celebrities like Tinie Tempah and Gary Neville as fresh entrepreneurs pitch their business plans.

During her appearance on the ITV talk show This Morning on Tuesday, January 13, Sara discussed her reasons for stepping away with presenters Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley. When asked if she “might come back at some stage,” Sara responded, “I hope so. It was six years I did that, and it was really hard this year. Deborah [Meaden] texted me when they were in Manchester, saying, “We’re really missing you.”

“It’s a big part of who I am. I miss the filming block; I miss my friends. Obviously, I’m still doing just as much work with my portfolio, but it’s a big commitment,” she continued. “It’s just not fair. I’m an ‘all-in’ person. If I’m involved with you, I’m involved. Every year when we do Dragons’ Den, it’s not just the filming; it’s potentially a dozen businesses in my portfolio messaging me, emailing me, and wanting me on board calls. They need space in my brain.”

Davies added, “Because I took back over Crafter’s Companion last year, I couldn’t in all good honesty take on potentially another dozen businesses and give them all a little bit of me when Crafter’s Companion needed all of me. I had all these other exciting things, like filming the quiz show, my kids getting older, and all my crafting. Something had to give.”

Sara Davies is currently hosting her new ITV quiz program, Time Is Money, where competitors must scramble to hold onto prize money while under pressure. Speaking about the series, she remarked, “Pressure? That’s another level of pressure. I’m used to negotiating business deals, but this is different. We give them all the money at the start, and every second they can’t answer, it’s taken away.”

“The problem with me is I can’t half-heartedly anything,” she stated. “I get emotionally attached, I’m very invested in what’s going on, and I start panicking if they’re losing their money. I’m having to keep my calm.”