Dragons’ Den sisters reveal huge part of BBC show viewers don’t see: ‘I was shocked’

Despite appearing remarkably composed in front of the Dragons, the sisters have now admitted that the experience was the “scariest” they had ever faced.

Speaking exclusively to GB News, the pair lifted the lid on what happens behind the scenes, with Honor admitting she was stunned to discover how dramatically their time in front of the Dragons would be condensed for television.

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While viewers typically see around 15 minutes of a contestant’s experience, their grilling inside the Den lasted considerably longer.

“I think I was more shocked about the fact that you only ever see 15-minute snippets of everyone’s kind of Dragons’ Den experience,” she explained.

She continued: “I was like, ‘Oh wow, okay.’ They cut down this whole two-hour interview, question, grilling thing literally into a 15-minute snippet and somehow manage to capture the most amazing parts.”

Cat was forced to leave the Den early because of restrictions surrounding her age, meaning she didn’t even know everything that had happened until she eventually watched the episode.

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“I had no clue what happened there,” she admitted.

The sisters’ preparation for their television appearance was equally intense.

Travelling from Chichester to Manchester ahead of filming, the pair spent the journey rehearsing their pitch while Cat simultaneously prepared for a GCSE Spanish speaking exam she had the following day.

After arriving in Manchester at around 2 am, nerves left them struggling to sleep despite having to be awake again at 6.45 am.

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The sisters resorted to recording themselves delivering their pitch before falling asleep listening to it in an attempt to memorise their lines.

Honor recalled: “We were so scared, we couldn’t sleep. I was stressing so much.”

The preparation ultimately paid off, with the young businesswomen impressing the Dragons with their company, which produces cricket clothing specifically designed for women and girls.

The sisters also revealed that their expectations of the notoriously formidable Dragons did not always match reality.

Honor recalled being particularly nervous about Touker Suleyman after being warned before filming that he could be “a bit harsh”.

However, those fears quickly disappeared when his first reaction to their business was overwhelmingly positive.

“The first thing he said was, ‘Just saying now, I absolutely love your product,'” she recalled.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God.’ This whole big kind of cloud that had been painted over you is completely shattered with a sentence.”

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Peter Jones also offered encouragement after Honor acknowledged her young age and relative lack of business experience, telling her that he had started in business at 16 himself.

The sisters ultimately secured offers from all five Dragons but later decided not to proceed with their investment after attracting outside backing during the post-filming due diligence period.

They stressed there was no dramatic falling-out behind the decision, explaining that their business needed funding quickly and other investors emerged during the lengthy process.

The pair remained in contact with the Dragons’ teams for months afterwards, including meetings with Steven Bartlett’s team.

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Despite ultimately forging ahead without the Dragons’ money, the sisters said the response to their appearance had been extraordinary, with their Instagram following skyrocketing to almost 12 thousand followers in a day and a half.

Reflecting on proving themselves at such a young age, the sisters encouraged other budding entrepreneurs to pursue promising ideas rather than allowing their age to hold them back.

“If you have any sort of ideas, why wouldn’t you give it a go, test it out?” Honor said.

“I don’t think there’s any harm in trying anything anymore and just seeing where it can take you.”