'Owned it' - Manchester United legend Gary Neville receives big praise after Dragons' Den debut

Manchester United legend Gary Neville admitted he was nervous watching back his debut on Dragons' Den last night but long-serving Dragon Deborah Meaden insisted he need not have been.

The popular BBC One business show invited Neville to be a 'guest Dragon' last year with the pundit's first appearance airing on Thursday night. The concept of the show sees entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to 'the Dragons' in the hope of gaining investment in their business.

The show is known for fiery negotiations between the business heavyweights as they battle it out for the best deals. Neville, who has expanded his business portfolio into property development and hospitality since retiring from football, was widely praised for his personality on the show.

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During the airing of the programme, which saw Neville invest in two businesses - Cosy Cinema and Manchester businessman Liam Browne's Full Power Cocoa - the Sky Sports pundit admitted to being 'nervous'. However, Dragons Den legend Meaden eased his concerns on X posting: "Well you weren’t when you were in The Den.. you owned it!"

A delighted Neville responded: "Thank you Deborah that means a lot! I was looked after so well by you all."

Even the world of football tuned in to watch Neville's debut including his old adversary turned friend, Jamie Carragher. In a jokey tweet, Carragher wrote: "Catching up with Dragons' Den from last night and annoyingly Gary Neville was very good."

In a final reflection on the support he received, Neville posted: "Well what a thrill. I’ve always loved the programme and to be on it is an honour. Hope you enjoyed it."

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