Dragon’s Den: BBC pull controversial episode promoting ME "treatment" from BBC iPlayer

BBC’s latest series of “Dragon’s Den” continues to be dogged by controversy after last week’s episode, with the latest issue regarding the popular series leading to the removal of an episode from the BBC iPlayer over what is being called “concerns about the inclusion of a product.”

Speaking the The Mirror, a BBC spokesperson informed the publication that “we’re taking the concerns raised seriously, so we are reviewing the episode and therefore it’s currently not available on iPlayer."

The episode in question regards Giselle Boxer’s “ear seeds” business, in which she claims that her product helped her “cure” her symptoms of ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) - also known as chronic fatigue syndrome. Ms Boxer said she had been asked by a researcher to go on the show: “Funnily enough they contacted me and I received an email from a researcher there and I initially thought it was a spam email,"

"We went through the different stages of the application process and there was so much due diligence and they really looked into every part of my business before I went in to pitch to the Dragons." She added she “never said the ear seeds are a cure” and that her recovery was supported by a variety of approaches

Her claims about the medicinal properties of her product have since been refuted by many in the medical community, including Dr Charles Shepherd of the ME Association saying the show had been used to promote an "unproven treatment". Speaking to The Mirror, Dr Shepherd stated: "People with ME/CFS are fed up with the way in which products like this are regularly being promoted when there is no sound evidence from proper placebo-controlled clinical trials to confirm that they are safe and effective."

Questions have also been raised about the involvement of entrepreneur Steven Bartlett, whose brother Jason is listed as a director of “Acu Seeds,” Boxer’s business, and the company having changed its name before appearing on the show.

Boxer appeared on the BBC show last week and pitched her business, asking for a £50,000 investment in exchange for a 10% stake in her company. She was offered the full amount by all five "dragons" on the show but took the smaller investment of £50,000 in exchange for a 12.5% stake in her company from Bartlett because she believed in “spiritual signs“ and was told that she would meet someone important named “Steven.”