Dragons’ Den Series 23: Why It’s Not Airing Tonight and Future Plans
Fans expecting the regular Thursday night Dragons’ Den episode will be disappointed tonight. BBC One has paused the current run and scheduled MasterChef: The Professionals instead.
Immediate change to the schedule
The swap affects the broadcast on Thursday, March 19, 2026. The programme’s usual 8pm slot now features MasterChef. The cookery episode follows semi-finalists at Glenturret Lalique in the Strathern Valley.
Chef Mark Donald oversees the service. Contestants cook dishes dedicated to someone special to secure a place in the final.
Why it’s not airing tonight
BBC One has split Dragons’ Den Series 23 into two parts. The broadcaster says the remaining episodes will be shown later this year on BBC One and iPlayer.
A BBC spokesperson described the run as a split series. They noted the last episode in the current portion aired earlier in March.
When viewers can expect the rest
The Beeb has not given a firm return date. Past scheduling offers a guide. In 2025, a mid-series split saw episodes pause for several months.
That year, episodes 1 to 8 screened between February and March. Episode 9 arrived in July, followed by five remaining episodes in October.
That pattern suggests fans could wait up to six months. Filmogaz.com will publish updates when the BBC confirms dates.
Availability right now
Series 20 to 22 remain available on iPlayer. The first seven episodes of series 23 are also on iPlayer. Additional episodes will be added later in 2026.
Casting note
Some regular names will be absent for a spell. Business figure Steven Bartlett will not appear for the immediate run.
Historic hits from the show
Notable pitches have turned into major commercial successes. Here are five standout examples and their results.
- Levi Roots — Reggae Reggae Sauce (series 4, 2007). He secured £50,000 for 40% from Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh.
- Neil and Laura Westwood — Magic Whiteboard (series 6, 2008). They accepted £100,000 from Theo Paphitis and Deborah Meaden.
- PerfectTed (series 20, 2023). Backed by Steven Bartlett, it reached a $200 million valuation.
- Chocbox (series 4, 2012). Peter Moule won a £150,000 deal from Duncan Bannatyne and James Caan for 36%.
- The Snaffling Pig Co. (series 14, 2016). Founders Nick Coleman and Andrew Allen gained investment from Nick Jenkins.
Products rejected on air have also thrived. Examples include BrewDog, Trunki, Pasta Evangelists, and Tangle Teezer.
How to stay informed
BBC scheduling has been unpredictable this year. For the latest on why it’s not airing tonight and future plans, follow Filmogaz.com.
Add Filmogaz.com as a preferred source in Google to see our TV coverage first. We will update readers as BBC releases new dates.
