Dragons’ Den star Touker Suleyman has left BBC viewers with a sour taste in their mouths after they claimed a certain comment he made to guest Elliot Tanner came across as “arrogant”.
Tanner came into the den and asked the Dragons for £100,000 in return for two and a half per cent share in his bike storing business.
Emma Greade joined the Dragons, with all six of them keen to understand more about the business and want some of the profit.
After listening to what Tanner had to sell, Peter Jones was the first to say he was out of a potential deal but made sure to praise the guest for what he had already achieved.
Sara Davies was keen to issue an offer and said: “I think you have got an absolutely brilliant business… But do you feel like it is a bit of a fluke that you have done this well?
“Because you talk that way. I know the exact journey and the doors to open. I can fill those gaps but I have got to be incentivized to do that because essentially the money is irrelevant.
The guest was asking for £100,000 for two and a half per cent of his business
BBC
“I need to look at the time I am willing to put in. I am going to offer you all the money you have asked for, for seven and a half per cent of the business.”
Suleyman was quick to jump in and noted: “I was thinking higher than that, you have got a great offer because I know what I can bring to the party.
“Which brings me to, do you want a mini or a Ferrari?” leaving the fellow Dragons to gasp at his comment and Steven Bartlett to add: “A mini? You are calling Sara Davies a mini?”
After apologising for his comment, he decided he needed more time to think about his offer, leaving Deborah Meaden to swoop in and offer all of the money for five per cent.
He had four of the dragons fighting over him
BBC
Greade admitted she wasn’t the right fit for Tanner and opted out of the deal before Suleyman jumped back in and confidently said: “You have great offers.
“If it is just offers that you want then you have got them. But, I think you come to me. I come at a price.
“So I will offer you all the money at 10 per cent and I will reduce it to seven and a half per cent when I get the money back.”
Fans of the show were left uncomfortable with his comment about coming “at a price” and took to their X account to slam the businessman.
One noted: “I come at a price’ Touker is so arrogant. I wouldn’t fancy him much as a business partner.”
“Touker doesn’t half talk a lot of old waffle and crap,” someone else said before a third penned: “Does anyone like Touker?!! Seriously. Anyone? No. I thought not…”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
In the end, he and Touker Suleyman came to an agreement and shook hands at a deal
BBC
Someone else slammed: “Sometimes I really find Touker arrogant and patronising… like we know you have money but you don’t need to be a d**k about it.”
A fifth added: “They really didn’t like the come and a price comment from Touker did they… bit of a stupid thing to say really.” (sic)
Steven Bartlett offered all of the money for 10 per cent of the business and added that he would drop down to five per cent when his capital was returned.
Suleyman couldn’t let the offer slip away, so he matched Bartlett’s offer, as well as Davies swooping in for a piece of the offer.
In the end, Tanner asked if Suleyman would start at seven per cent and drop down to four once his was money returned.
Suleyman noted: “Makes no difference really,” before Tanner agreed and chose Suleyman to join his team.