Could the soon-to-be former England cricket captain Ben Stokes be set for a role on Dragons’ Den?
The suggestion might seem far-fetched but, as demonstrated by yesterday’s bombshell retirement announcement, the legendary all-rounder has never lost his ability to shock.
Stokes, who is worth a reported £10m, has no intention of quitting cricket but, away from the sport, he’s been quietly building an impressive portfolio of business investments.
Over the years, he’s invested in everything from a premium ticketing marketplace for sport to a firm describing itself as the ‘TikTok of Travel’ and a non-alcoholic spirits brand founded by former Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews.
Ben Stokes is an investor in CleanCo, founded by Made in Chelsea star Spencer Matthews
Stokes’ growing interest in business would make him a perfect replacement for Touker Suleyman, who announced he was leaving Dragons’ Den earlier this month after 11 years.
At the very least, Stokes seems ideally qualified to follow in the footsteps of Gary Neville, Tinie Tempah, Susie Ma and Jenna Meek as a guest Dragon in the Den.
As the 35-year-old prepares for his last day as an international cricketer, thoughts will inevitably turn to what the legendary all-rounder does next.
Stokes, who is one of only two players in the history of cricket to score more than 7,000 runs and take more than 250 wickets in Test cricket, has a burgeoning business pedigree.
According to Companies House, Stokes is a director of three businesses: 4Cast Investment Group, Zero Point Gaming and BAS Promotions.
Fellow current and former cricketers Jofra Archer, Stuart Broad and Neil Fairbrother are among his fellow directors at 4Cast Investment Group and Zero Point Gaming, while his wife, Clare, appears to be the only other director of BAS Promotions.
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At the heart of Stokes’ business interests is 4Cast, which specialises in athlete-driven media production and early-stage investments.
4Cast is an athlete-led media and investment group founded by Stokes, Archer and Broad, working with elite athletes including Liam Livingstone, Jos Buttler, Ollie Pope, Tyrone Mings, Jason Roy and KL Rahul.
Backed by a combined social media following of more than 72 million, 4Cast connects athletes with global audiences, focusing on businesses that employ a digital-first route to market or utilise frictionless digital sales channels.
Stokes is also a founding partner and key backer of The Players’ Fund, the UK’s first athlete-led venture capital firm, which has built a portfolio spanning sports technology, wellness, premium experiences and consumer innovation.
One of Stokes’ highest-profile partnerships has been with Seat Unique, the number one destination for premium live experiences, which last week announced £20m in fresh funding.
Other investments include UK and India-based medical travel startup Medical Travel Company and AI-powered video commerce platform Unravel, which describes itself as the ‘TikTok of Travel’.
Last year, Stokes was announced as an investor and brand partner in the premium alcohol-free spirits brand CleanCo, founded by reality TV star Spencer Matthews.
However, as is often the case with early-stage investments, they don’t all work out.
Stokes and Broad were among the investors in Sixes, an immersive cricket experience business founded by Calum Mackinnon and Andy Waugh.
(l-r) Cricketers Matthew Potts, Ben Stokes and Stuart Broad invested in Sixes, which went into administration in 2025
The startup rapidly expanded to several sites across the UK but went into administration in 2025 in the face of fierce competition.