It’s not uncommon these days that a reality star would transition from one show to another, be it Ex On the Beach, Love Island or Geordie Shore, as we’ve seen happen with the likes of Sam Gowland.
But it’s rarer in the case of talent shows and competitions, where a particular skill set is under scrutiny.
However, series 17 of Dragons’ Den saw just that when Phil Neale entered the series with his sleep app, Snoozle.
Phil entered the Den in episode 2 (Sunday, September 15th) hoping to secure a £50,000 investment. But as it was revealed, that is not the first tough TV panel he’s faced… Phil was also on Britain’s Got Talent!
Here’s how Phil went from singing star to business entrepreneur.
Phil Neale on BGT
In episode 6 of Dragons’ Den, Phil Neale dropped in that he had been on Britain’s Got Talent.
Phil was in a band with his father and two brothers called The Neales. The Neales participated in the ninth series of the ITV talent competition for their first-ever public performances.
The family all started performing together to pursue 64-year-old father Laurie’s dream of being a singer. After he suffered a heart attack in 2005, Laurie decided to change paths and pursue his dreams rather than run himself into the ground working.
And The Neales were a hit with the judges and audience, making it to the live finals! They even made Simon Cowell cry with their performance of Cat Stevens’ Father and Son. You can check out the performance here.
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Chart success
In the Dragons’ Den episode, Phil also drops in that The Neales entered a “chart battle with Drake and Rihanna.”
Come June 2016, The Neales had released their own single called ‘I’ll Be There’.
‘I’ll Be There’ entered at number 22 but quickly rose to take the number 6 spot in the Official Music Charts, overtaking Drake and Rihanna’s ‘Too Good’ but not overtaking Rihanna’s ‘This Is What You Came For’!
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Phil Neale on Dragons’ Den
Before Phil embarked on his singing career, he worked in marketing. So, he had the business background to help him start Snoozle.
Snoozle’s aim to get millennials and Gen-Z off their phones and getting a full 8-hour sleep at night.
Birmingham-based Phil called issues with sleep “one of the biggest problems facing young and older people today.” And although he had the Dragons’ on side with the app’s intentions, the work leading up to his appearance in the Den was not enough to convince any of them to invest.
He was asking for £50,000 for a 10% stake in Snoozle. But none of the Dragons’ went for it.
Snoozle is still up and running and you can download the app on the App Store or Google Play. Check out more about Snoozle through their website.
You can also follow Phil on Instagram @philsnoozle for his latest updates.
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WATCH DRAGONS’ DEN SERIES 17 SUNDAYS AT 8 PM ON BBC TWO
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