A BARRY entrepreneur will set screens alight this weekend when his appearance on Dragons' Den gets aired on BBC Two.

Hot Diggidy Dog's Simon Llewellyn travelled to Manchester in May in a bid to charm the famous 'Dragons' with his popular sauce products.

Dad-of-one Simon said about applying for the show: "I decided years ago it was the right thing to do with the company as we are in such a saturated, very difficult market. We found ourselves struggling to really break markets as we were massively underfunded. The banks weren’t helping although the government were saying they were.

"The due diligence and paperwork to actually get on to the programme was a massive undertaking. The preparation was very extensive indeed as everything has to be planned to the ninth degree, even down to what sauce is placed where on the presentation table in the Den."

Simon drove to the show in Abe, his old van, the evening before and unloaded all his props for the following day's filming.

He said: "I showed up, got out of the van and there stood Peter Jones, typical. I just dropped my head down and dragged the props and stock in as quick as I could past him, he kind of knew what was happening as the van is heavily branded with a big dog sat on a chilli on the side of it."

The next day Simon arrived at the studios around 6.45am after about two hours' sleep.

He said: “There were five other entrepreneurs setting up their proposed displays, waiting to go in the Den. We were all ushered off to the green room where one at a time we were led into the Den. Once in the Den you do your pitch - but you never see the other entrepreneurs again as they are shielded and whisked off sharply, so you never know if they were successful or not.

“I was feeling pretty good all day. It was a long day in the green room as one by one we were collected and taken to the Den. I was the last man standing.

"Then, at 4pm, it was my turn. It was then that the nerves kicked in. I’ve performed in front of 25,000 people at Earls Court, London, in the toughest team competition in the world, and I also present our own TV show, with little or no nerves, but this... my mouth dried up, my hands and bottom lip started shaking, I tried drinking water but couldn’t."

Simon finally got into the Den to find himself in front of the 'Dragons' - Sarah Willingham, Touker Suleyman, Deborah Meaden, Nick Jenkins, and Peter Jones.

Simon said: “I was in the Den for approximately 45 minutes. It felt like a year. I spoke very fast - which Deborah told me off for - and had a laugh to be honest. I felt the pitch went okay.

"Whilst handing out sauces Sarah jumped straight in with our original pepper sauce before I had a chance to explain how hot they were. She got burned.

“I felt the feedback was very positive and gave some very good and correct advice which I’m learning from.

“I felt relieved it was over as it was a very long and intense build-up. All of the Dragons were very pleasant and liked to have a bit of banter which I enjoyed."

To see how Simon did, watch Dragons’ Den on BBC Two at 8pm on Sunday, August 30. Alternatively, following BBC iPlayer two weeks following broadcast.

For further information on the products visit doggidy.com