The BEST episodes of Dragons' Den season 9

#1 - Episode 1

Season 9 - Episode 1 - Aired 7/31/2011

It may be a time of austerity in the UK but not so in the Dragons' Den... business is booming as the self-made multimillionaires return to the screen, ready to boost the economy by investing in the brightest and best of Britain's entrepreneurs. Whilst the rules of the series remain the same, you will notice one change... the arrival of new Dragon Hilary Devey, who joins the line-up of the five fearsome financiers. Having scrimped, saved and self-sacrificed in the haulage industry to make her own fortune, Hilary has her own views on the products and businesses brought before her, and she's more than happy to take on her rivals in order to get the best deal. 34-year-old Georgette Hewitt, from Kent, finds out exactly how nerve-wracking it can be to climb those famous stairs and pitch to the Dragons. It's a real battle to compose her nerves, but one she must win in order to tempt the multimillionaires to invest in her answer to a common birthday party headache familiar to all parents. Entrepreneurs often take advantage of the latest government schemes and incentives when building their business, which is exactly what Chris Hopkins from Yorkshire has done by capitalising on the solar power feed-in tariff. But when a Dragon knows your industry inside out it's not always what you want. Add into the mix the most unusual use you could ever think of for a plastic egg, a circus act that's sure to go with a bang, and a mind coaching massage service, and you've got a formidable showcase of the Great British spirit of invention and innovation. As ever Evan Davis is on hand to dissect the events, with further action and reaction available through the Red Button.

#2 - Episode 5

Season 9 - Episode 5 - Aired 8/28/2011

Dragons' Den is once more open for business, with the five multimillionaire investors ready and willing to invest in Britain's best commercial prospects. This time all the world's a stage and the Dragons merely players when two business partners from Lincolnshire pitch their pantomime company. But by turning the Den into a makeshift theatre, can they prove that show business and financial business really do mix? Elsewhere, one entrepreneur uses his pitch to tell the Dragons a story about growing up in South Africa, rather than concentrating on facts and figures, but how will that go down with the multimillionaires? Plus two joggers enter the Den to pitch their fast-paced delivery service; and a young mum offers a solution to everyone's outdoor toilet needs.

#3 - Episode 4

Season 9 - Episode 4 - Aired 8/21/2011

Some of the nations' budding businessmen and women have already entered the Den, but so far not all of their products and inventions have received a rave reception. This episode sees more intrepid entrepreneurs climb the stairs in the hope of realising their own investment dreams. Numbers are crunched and ideas are interrogated as the five fearsome Dragons weigh up which side of the coin their decision to invest will come down on. A former disc jockey has a strategy, dress to impress to catch the attention of an investor. The DJ may have worn a DJ, but is that all it takes to part a Dragon from their cash? A Londoner hopes to alleviate a common worry for holidaymakers by locking up their valuables, but with just 5 per cent of his company on offer, can he guarantee a valuable return? Monterrey-born Marcela Flores Newburn pitches her Mexican food range complete with a full mariachi band, another budding entrepreneur asks the multi-millionaires to think of their homes, not as houses but as a source of income, and a former hairdresser has a product that makes money from thin air, but does he have the business plan to match?

#4 - Episode 3

Season 9 - Episode 3 - Aired 8/14/2011

It's a Den full of family businesses. Tim and Meena Kalia and their business partner Tricia Tierney try to talk the Dragons into investing in their innovative litter trays for dogs. The Den is taken over by a pirate, a street urchin and a hippy as Peter and Michelle Hart, plus five of their seven children, pitch their fancy dress business; but is their dream of investment pure fantasy? Brothers Jim and Richard George from Malvern believe they're in a strong position with their fence preservation company which is already trading. The business-savvy siblings have a deal in mind - but will the offer they're holding out for materialize? Others looking for Dragon investment include an 'all you can drink' membership club, an exercise suit that claims to burn extra calories, and some giant knitting needles.

#5 - Episode 2

Season 9 - Episode 2 - Aired 8/7/2011

Dragons' Den continues with eight more intrepid entrepreneurs pitching Britain's brightest ideas to the multimillionaire investors. Will any of them manage to make the Dragons part with their cash? Tonight's episode sees Londoners Krissy Sims and Kerry O'Brien AKA DJ Trickles and Lady MC enter the Den with a state-of-the-art turntable extravaganza in the back of their 4x4. The Dragons are often happy to demo a product but it is the business and how it makes money that remains their ultimate concern. Husband and wife team Liz and Alan Colleran from Dewsbury may be pitching their comfy caravan product - but will their Den experience be quite so luxurious and comfortable? Elsewhere, an Englishman, a Norwegian and a Scot walk into the Den. Shades for canines are on offer, there's an inflatable car-based device like you have never seen before and a Kent-based entrepreneur thinks honesty is the best policy when pitching without a formal business plan - but with an offer to help everyone get the perfect looking body for just 20 pounds. With further interviews and reaction available via the Red Button at the end of the programme.

#6 - Episode 6

Season 9 - Episode 6 - Aired 9/4/2011

Profitability and bottom line are back on the agenda as more business proposals are pitched to five of the most successful commercial brains in Britain. Each of the entrepreneurs entering the Den are hoping to convince the multimillionaires that their business is worthy of financial backing, but as well as a good product it takes steel and determination to secure the Dragons' cash. There are mixed fortunes in the Den this time as fashion-conscious twins try to persuade the Dragons to buy into their clothing range, a Teesside-based entrepreneur has a run-in with the investors over his decision to separate out the assets in his company, and a former firefighter asks the Dragons to invest in a car that thinks it's a bike. One multimillionaire also gets their feet wet while trying out a beauty treatment administered by fish, but will a bit of Dragon pampering lead to a clean sweep of offers?

#7 - Episode 10

Season 9 - Episode 10 - Aired 10/3/2011

#8 - Episode 9

Season 9 - Episode 9 - Aired 9/26/2011

#9 - Episode 8

Season 9 - Episode 8 - Aired 9/19/2011

Two entrepreneurs have a plan to revolutionise the UK housing market, while another pair hope their unusual garden pods will persuade the Dragons to part with their cash. Elsewhere, a husband and wife team believe they have created a must-have accessory for women, and two of the youngest-ever participants enter the Den to pitch their record label. Presented by Evan Davis.

#10 - Episode 7

Season 9 - Episode 7 - Aired 9/12/2011

This week, a former milkman pitches his balance bike business accompanied by his three-year-old daughter, will a little person in the Den help persuade the Dragons to invest? Three London-based friends present their hands-free pint-pulling product, and a grandmother from the Isle of Wight, demonstrates a modern take on the ancient Greek practice of swinging... There's also a potential solution to help aid a common problem experienced by babies...nasal mucus extraction.