Former footballer turned pundit and entrepreneur Gary Neville has been hailed as “brilliant” following his appearance on the next season of Dragon’s Den.
The Man United legend and ex-international has been steadily building up his Manchester-based business portfolio over the past decade or so since he retired and has been involved in property development since the age of 21.
With that in mind, when it was announced the new series of Dragon’s Den would be filming in Manchester, the BBC didn’t waste any time in getting Neville on board as the very first guest of the upcoming 21st season.
Revealing the first look at the Class of 92 businessman in the den on Tuesday, 14 October, with the initial stills shot against not only the familiar backdrop of the iconic Dragon’s set but a glimpse of the Manchester skyline, Neville has been given a firm seal of approval from one the show’s regulars.
His guest appearance went down a storm with long-serving panel member and industry veteran Deborah Meaden, who is set to take part in her 19th consecutive season on the show.
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Meaden began her career by running a multi-million pound UK family holiday company and went on to join the BBC cult favourite’s third series back in 2006.
Speaking on Neville’s time on the show, the 64-year-old said the Bury-born businessman was “brilliant”, adding that he “owned that chair”.
Responding to his one-time co-star’s compliment on social media, Neville replied: “Thank you Deborah. I loved it and can’t thank you and all the dragons enough for welcoming me”.
Filming is still ongoing and the new series of Dragon’s Den is due to air on BBC One and iPlayer in 2024. We’d be lying if we said we weren’t curious to see what Neville looks like in the chair.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’
Emily Sergeant
Call yourself a clever clogs? The BBC is currently looking for contestants to take part in what is widely considered the hardest quiz show on TV.
That’s right – Only Connect is back for another series on BBC Two.
Presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell and first broadcast all the way back in 2008, Only Connect takes TV quizzing to the next level, as it sees two teams compete against each other by finding connections between seemingly unrelated clues.
In this quiz show – which viewers have dubbed one of the most challenging there is – knowledge only takes you so far, as the ability to think laterally is also deemed ‘vitally important’.
A casting call for the upcoming 2027 series has been shared on the BBC website, with people from Greater Manchester encouraged to apply.
Mancs wanted to take part in a new series of the ‘hardest quiz show on TV’ / Credit: BBC
The casting call reads: “The popular BBC Two quiz show presented by Victoria Coren Mitchell returns for a new series in 2027.
“Only Connect is seeking teams of three players OR single applicants or teams of two looking for like-minded teammates to pool their combined wits to solve fiendish conundrums and vexing puzzles.
“This is the quiz series where, as in life itself, knowledge will only take you so far: patience and lateral thinking are also vital. It’s all about making connections between things which may appear, at first glance, not to be connected at all.”
Reckon you’ve got what it takes then? Applications are now open, and all applicants must be aged 18 or over and a resident in the UK or Channel Islands.
Channel 4 is looking for Mancs who think they can survive the apocalypse for a new TV series
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Have you always wanted to see how long you’d last in an apocalypse?
Well now’s your chance, as Apocalypse is potentially coming back to Channel 4 for a second series, with producers having put out a nationwide casting call for contestants willing to take part.
The casting call simply reads: “Do you think you have what it takes to survive the end of the world?”
Described as a dystopian series designed to test the creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience of our nation, Apocalypse sees players are pushed out of their comfort zones and put to the ultimate test.
In the series, ordinary people are tasked with surviving for 28 days in an abandoned city – used previously only for the military to practice urban warfare – with no food, running water, electricity or heat.
Produced by The Garden – which is part of ITV Studios – for Channel 4, the show’s creators are now calling on Mancs and people up and down the country with the ‘courage and ingenuity’ to compete, to get in touch and apply for the potential second series.
Does your mate always bang on after watching a post-apocalyptic film that they would’ve done things differently? Or is the news at the moment freaking you out and you want to give the end of the world a bit of a practice run? Either way, sign up, test that plan you’ve built in your head, and see if you’ve really got what it takes.
Applications are now open, and all you need to do is fill in a short application form and one of the production team will get back to you if they would like to proceed. Come on, let’s prove what Mancs are made of.
Danny Jones -
17th October 2023 
