Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones is a force to be reckoned with, and one person possibly feeling his wrath is Holly Willoughby.
After years of being close friends, even going on holiday together with their families, Peter and Holly’s very public bust-up played out over the UK’s media in 2018.
Here’s everything you need to know about the career Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones and his personal life – including that messy situation with Holly Willoughby.
Who is Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones and how old is he?
Peter Jones is an incredibly successful British businessman and investor on BBC One‘s Dragons’ Den.
He was born on March 18, 1966 in Langley, Berkshire. At the time of writing, he is 57 years old.
Peter lived in Langley until he was 7, when his family moved to Maidenhead. He attended Desborough School and The Windsor Boys’ School.
The late Queen Elizabeth II appointed him a CBE in her 2009 New Year Honours list.
How did Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones make his money?
Peter set up his first business making personal computers when he was just 16 years old. By his 20s, he had a multi-million pound business.
However, things took a downturn and he lost £200,000 after selling the company to IBM in the 1990s. He lost his house and his two cars, a BMW and a Porsche cars. For six months, Peter lived in an office space with no hot water.
Things picked up when Peter got a job and company car at Siemens. A year later, he was running Siemens in the UK. From there, he was able to make the money for his next venture, Phones International Group.
Phones International Group provided mobile cellular solutions to clients, bagging a broad client list. It made £14 million of sales in the first year of trading and £44 million the second. It was game-changing for Peter.
He has founded (and sold) multiple other businesses since then, including 10telecom, Wines4Business.com, and Celsius Resourcing.
In 2005, Peter made his Dragons’ Den debut in the show’s first ever episode.
That same year, he also launched the Peter Jones Foundation, and teamed up with Dragons’ Den co-star Theo Paphitis to buy Red Letter Days from fellow Dragons’ Den panellist, Rachel Elnaugh.
Peter also founded the Peter Jones Enterprise Academy in 2009, which taught entrepreneurship in several campuses throughout the UK.
What has Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones invested in?
Throughout his time on Dragons’ Den, Peter has invested in many other successful businesses.
According to his website, some of his investments include iTeddy, Square Mile International, The Generating Company, and the iconic Reggae Reggae Sauce.
He’s also invested in sunscreen applicator business Solar Buddies.
Is Peter Jones a billionaire? What is Peter Jones’ net worth?
Peter’s the last remaining original investor on the BBC One show and he might well be the richest ever.
According to the Sunday Times Rich List in 2021, he has a jaw-dropping net worth of £1.157 billion!
Is Peter Jones married? Does he have a partner?
Peter Jones is in a long-term relationship with interior designer Tara Capp.
Although Tara herself is pretty private, she regularly features on Peter’s Instagram, where he gushes over his partner.
On Mother’s Day in 2021, Jones posted a tribute to his long-term partner Tara Capp calling her a “superhuman mum”.
He said: “Happy Mother’s Day to all the wonderful Mums out there especially @tara_capp, the most caring superhuman Mum.
“Your unwavering love and support is something the girls and I are so lucky to have.
“You’re our Mrs Incredible. Love you.”
Peter was previously married to first wife Caroline, who he married at the age of 21. The pair divorced in 2008.
According to the Mirror, this relationship ended in very “messy” circumstances.
Does Peter Jones have children?
Peter has five children. He has Annabel and William with ex-wife Caroline, and Tallulah, Natalia and Isabella with Tara.
Peter has previously gone on the record saying that none of his multi-million pound fortune will be left to his kids.
Speaking to Radio Times, Peter said: “I want my kids to be polite and respectful, stand on their own two feet.
“In the future, if they want to go and do charitable work, then I’ll fund that charitable work.
“I’ve said that rather me buying them a house, I’ll give them a contribution on top of what they deliver.”
Why did Peter Jones fall out with Holly Willoughby?
It’s well documented that Peter Jones suffered a “devastating” bust up with good friend Holly Willoughby.
Peter’s partner Tara had planned to set up Truly together with Holly, with Peter as chairman, in 2018.
But Holly dropped the bombshell she was withdrawing from the lucrative business venture at the last minute.
In 2018, Peter was reportedly furious when close friend Holly Willoughby backtracked on their huge £11 million deal to launch Tara’s business.
The two families had been friends for more than 10 years, as Peter owned a 40% stake in Holly’s husband Dan Baldwin’s TV production company. They even regularly went on holiday together!
However, Holly’s last-minute decision to opt out of the deal was a major blow to Peter and Tara.
Talking to the Mirror, Holly previously said the brand was about “beautiful things that are of the highest quality, surprisingly affordable and designed to make your life easier”.
But in a shock turn of events, the This Morning presenter blew off the deal to focus on her ITV and Marks and Spencer contracts worth up to £1.5 million.
To make matters worse, Holly’s business ventures went on to thrive, while Peter and Tara were left with a warehouse full of stock during Covid-19.
In September 2018, a source told Mail Online: “Truly was by far the top of Holly’s priorities. It was going to be her long-term future that would see her through the next couple of decades.”
“Her decision to pull out left everyone involved absolutely stunned. Nobody could believe what was happening on Tuesday, it was so close to launch.”
Unfortunately, Tara seemed to confirm that their failed joint venture had caused permanent damage.
When asked about the friendship in 2021, Tara told the Telegraph: “Euggh. I’m not going to pretend. It was devastating. We were exceptionally close. And of course as a business, you really feel the loss of a celebrity face.”
The former friends have not been spotted together since. Holly fans will know she launched her own lifestyle brand Wylde Moon two years after pulling out of the venture with Peter and Tara.
How tall is Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones?
Peter noticeably towers over his Dragons’ Den colleagues, as well as most of those looking for an investment.
He revealed his real height last year on Dragon’s Den, when a hopeful entrepreneur pitched their super-long beds.
Peter is a very tall 6ft 7in.
Read more: Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones shares rare photo of lookalike daughter Izzy – and she’s beautiful!
Dragons’ Den continues on Thursdays at 8pm on BBC One.
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