Dragons’ Den star turned down Strictly after ‘virtually dying’ in health scare
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Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman has revealed he turned down a stint on Strictly Come Dancing after a health scare and being told he had just hours to live. The businessman, 71, is returning to the entrepreneurial competition alongside Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Steven Bartlett and Sara Davies, while Joe Wicks and Trinny Woodall join as guest investors.
![[Dragons' Den S20,23-02-2023,8,Touker Suleyman,BBC,Screen grab]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_190417609-d0d7.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Deborah, 65, appeared on Strictly in 2013 alongside Robin Windsor, while Sara, 40, competed in 2021 with Aljaz Skorjanec. And now Touker has revealed he almost followed in their footsteps, but declined the offer after an illness which left him with ’24 hours to live’.
![[Television programme: Strictly Come Dancing. Robin Windsor, Deborah Meaden. (C) BBC - Photographer: Guy Levy]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_41017180-9837.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Ahead of the new series of Dragons’ Den airing, Touker – who has starred as a Dragon since 2015 – said: ‘I was asked last year, and I said I’m not fit because I was very ill a few years ago. So I declined the offer this year.’. He went on to Metro and other press: ‘I love dancing. But I just know that first of all time is valuable to me, and I have businesses to run.’.
![[For use in UK, Ireland or Benelux countries only BBC handout photo of Sara Davies, Aljaz Skorjanec during the live show of Saturday's BBC1's Strictly Come Dancing. Issue date: Saturday November 13, 2021. PA Photo. See PA story SHOWBIZ Strictly . Photo credit should read: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/PRI_210093667-531f.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
Touker opened up about his health struggles last year on Dragons’ Den, saying:‘I had a bad illness a few years ago so I’m on blood thinners, hydrocortisone, cholesterol, you name it I take it.’. ‘But I’m healthy thank god,’ he added. In 2019, Touker was absent from filming some of the episodes for the 17th series of Dragons’ Den, with former Dragon Theo Paphitis stepping in.
![[Mandatory Credit: Photo by Shutterstock (12534334ah) Touker Suleyman 10th Anniversary of Nina Naustdal awarded 'The Best Authentic Women's Lifestyle Brand 2021', Mayfair, London, UK - 28 Sep 2021]](https://metro.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SEI_162051746-7b2b-e1734865241830.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=646)
