Kelly Hoppen became a Dragon on BBC’s Dragons’ Den in 2013, replacing Hilary Devey.
Hoppen joined the programme after Devey left the investment panel. She is a British interior designer whose career was established independently of television, and her appointment brought a design-focused business background to the show.
Hoppen’s tenure lasted for one series. Her appearance is sometimes confused with that of other guest or permanent Dragons, including Deborah Meaden, who joined much earlier, and Sara Davies, who joined in 2019.
Dragons’ Den has regularly changed its panel while retaining the same basic format: entrepreneurs present businesses to investors and negotiate for equity. The show’s rotating cast means that the year a Dragon joined is a useful way to distinguish panel members with otherwise similar roles.