Businessman Peter Jones left BBC viewers stunned last night with a comment to an entrepreneur on Dragons’ Den: Best Ever Pitches who revealed his wife had just suffered a miscarriage.
Sunday (July 5) evening’s episode featured Ross Mendham, founder of noodle business Barenaked.
What did Peter Jones say on Dragons’ Den?
During Ross’ episode, which aired in 2013, the businessman was on to get backing from the dragons for his then-fledgling company.
But their blunt questioning – much of which centred on doubts that his noodles were, as he said, truly gluten free – left him emotional and he had to briefly leave the Den.
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They gave Ross a moment to collect himself and when he came back to stand before the Dragons, he revealed the reason why he was feeling so emotional.
He said on the programme: “[My wife] supports both of us while I’m getting the business off the ground. Unfortunately she had our third miscarriage before I came here.”
Shortly after, Peter told Ross: “What we’ve just heard… it’s, as we can see, emotionally heart wrenching, and it’s great that you’re here.
But you’re not here for sympathy.
“But you’re not here for sympathy. You’re here to get an investment in a business that you were supposed to demonstrate had a future.
“What you’ve presented today, frankly, tasted like baby food.”
Despite the criticism, Peter went on to praise Ross’ brand and decided to invest.
Reacting on Twitter, viewers were stunned.
What did viewers say?
One tweeted: “Entrepreneur: ‘My wife’s just had a third miscarriage.’ Peter Jones: ‘You’re not here for sympathy though and your food tastes like baby food.’ Baby food! Read the room Peter!”
Another wrote: “About Peter Jones’ ‘baby food’ comment straight after the chap confided that his wife had her third miscarriage. Why has he said that, and also how has that made the final cut? #DragonsDen.”
A third put: “#dragonsden Did Peter Jones say those noodles tasted like baby food, just moments after the guy said his wife had a miscarriage?”
Entrepeneur: "My wife's just had a third miscarriage."
Peter Jones: "You're not here for sympathy though and your food tastes like baby food."Baby food! Read the room Peter! #DragonsDen
— Nick James (@mr_njl84) July 5, 2020
About Peter Jones' "Baby food" comment straight after the chap confided that his wife had her third miscarriage – why has he said that, and also how has that made the final cut? #DragonsDen
— Nonsense Buster (@boredofwales) July 5, 2020
https://twitter.com/MibIH/status/1279867028162183176
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Others could see that Peter didn’t mean anything by it, putting it down to a slip of the tongue.
“He’s human,” one viewer pointed out. “He made a slip of the tongue, we all do it, so he can be forgiven for that. Agree that it was very odd to leave it in, though.”
Someone else tweeted: “Somehow I don’t think @dragonjones meant anything by that comment. He invested in his company. It was very moving and heart warming this episode. Sunday tears.”
ED! contacted Peter’s reps for comment.
He’s human, he made a slip of the tongue, we all do it, so he can be forgiven for that.
Agree that it was very odd to leave it in though.
— Thicker Skinned (@SkinnedThicker) July 5, 2020
Some how I don’t think @dragonjones meant anything by that comment. He invested in his company. It was very moving and heart warming this episode. Sunday tears . Hope it’s a success 🌈
— Jay P (@JayP26342475) July 5, 2020
What did you think of last night’s Dragons’ Den: Best Ever Pitches? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.