Dragons’ Den in ‘fix’ row as fans accuse hopefuls of COPYING idea from iconic BBC sitcom
DRAGONS’ Den fans have accused two contestants of ‘copying’ an idea thought up in a famous BBC sitcom.
The hopefuls were seen entering the Den and pitching their business to the moguls as the show returned for a new series of the hit show.
But fans were left convinced they had heard the name of the company somewhere before.
Seconds after Daniel and Lina had launched into their pitch for their glasses company Pop Specs, viewers twigged.
During the 90s, Absolutely Fabulous’ Edina – played by Jennifer Saunders – told her long-suffering daughter Saffy she was helping to market a new company.
Saffy asked: What have you been doing?”
Edina replied: “Pop Specs ad! You know I represent Pop Specs, darling?
“We’re doing a new ad. We’re upmarketing the image.”
Looking confused, Saffy asked: “What are Pop Specs?”
Rolling her eyes, Edina shot back: “What are Pop Specs?!”
She then proceeded to put on a pair of jazzy sunglasses, before popping out the colour lens and swapping it for another.
Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, Dragons’ Den fans were quick to join the dots.
“Edina Monsoon invented & copyrighted Pop Specs!” one viewer posed.
Another added: “No Ab Fab fans in the den?!”
A third said: “How original “Pop Specs” Edina will be fuming #DragonsDen.”
And a fourth wrote: “Ab Fab writers and their lawyers seeing pop specs on.”
Someone else shared a picture of Edina, saying: “Pop Specs? Why does this ring a bell?”
Pop Specs was invented by former optician Daniel and his business partner Lina.
But unlike the Pop Specs Edina was raving about in Ab Fab, their business model was quite different.
The pair’s company makes affordable prescription strength glasses in just 20 minutes – and the Dragons’ were impressed.
“We are going to be doing something completely different in the Den,” Daniel said. “We are actually going to be making Touker [Suleyman] a pair of spectacles.”
And they did just that.
Daniel and Lina were all made offers by Touker, Peter Jones and Sara Davies. They agreed 4% each in return for £25,000 each investment.