Former Strictly Come Dancing star Sara Davies who has landed a new role on ITV has opened up on her real thoughts about leaving a major TV show
Karen Price Assistant Editor of Screen Time and Liam De Brun
17:07, 15 Jan 2026
Former Strictly Come Dancing star Sara Davies has opened up about why her departure from another BBC programme was 'not fair' whilst revealing a significant career development.
Sara joined the hit BBC show Dragons' Den in 2019 aged 35, becoming the youngest ever female Dragon after taking over from popular investor Jenny Campbell. Sara swiftly won over viewers alongside established panel members such as Deborah Meaden and Peter Jones.
Viewers were shocked last year when Sara revealed she would be stepping away from the programme to concentrate on resuming her role as CEO of Crafter's Companion, the retail enterprise she founded from her university accommodation in 2005.
Whilst the BBC has yet to confirm a permanent successor for Sara, the series has started welcoming various guest Dragons. Forthcoming episodes will feature notable figures including Gary Neville and Tinie Tempah as budding entrepreneurs pitch their business ideas.
During an appearance on ITV's This Morning on Tuesday (January 13), Sara discussed with hosts Ben Shephard and Cat Deeley how much she misses being part of the successful programme, reports the Manchester Evening News.
When Cat enquired whether she 'might come back at some stage' to Dragons' Den, Sara responded: "I hope so. It was six years I did that and it was really hard this year. Deborah texted me when they were in Manchester 'we're really missing you'.
"It's a big part of who I am. I miss the filming block, I miss my friends. Obviously, I'm still doing just as much work with my portfolio. It's a big commitment."
She went on: "It's just not fair. I'm an all in person. If I'm involved with you, I'm involved. I'm all over it and every year when we do Dragons' Den, yet it's the filming part of it, but that's potentially a dozen businesses in my portfolio that are then messaging me, emailing me, wanting me on board calls, that need space in my brain.
"Because I took back over Crafter's Companion last year, I couldn't in all good honesty take on potentially another dozen businesses and give them all a little bit of me when Crafter's Companion needed all of me.
"I had all these other exciting things like filming the quiz show, my kids are getting older and all my crafting. It's a lot. It was just a cast that something had to give."
Sara is currently presenting her brand new ITV quiz show Time Is Money, where competitors receive their prize money at the outset but must race against the clock to retain it whilst managing intense pressure.
Discussing the programme, Sara commented: "Pressure? That's another level of pressure. I'm used to negotiating business deals. Being there, it's a different quiz to normal. We give them all the money at the start and then every second they can't answer it takes away.
"The problem with me is, I can't half heart anything. I get emotionally attached to it, I'm very invested in what's going on and I start panicking. I'm panicking if they're losing their money. I'm having to keep my calm.
"When you're a quiz show host you have to be very professional and pronounce your words properly, which is a bit of a challenge for a north east girl when you start getting to european footballers and Shakespeare characters."
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Sara also offered a glimpse into her experience at Gordon Ramsay's daughter Holly Ramsay's wedding to Adam Peaty, her former Strictly Come Dancing partner, which took place at the historic Bath Abbey last month.
"A lot of people don't realise that Adam and I became such good friends doing Strictly. He just started his business and was very early on in his journey. We would go for lng walks and I would give him loads of business ideas and support.
"I've been on his board, I invested in his business. I got invited to the wedding of the century. [The food] was absolutely insane, it was his famous beef wellington. It was the best wedding food I ever had.
"I was trying everything, every canopy that came out. It was insane. I was up with Adam on the dance floor at the end of the night. Dan Walker was there bursting out the moves," she revealed.
Strictly Come Dancing is available on BBC iPlayer