'I NEVER TRY TO HIDE MY PAST'

LEVI ROOTS ON WHO'LL PLAY HIM IN THE MOVIE OF HIS LIFE, HOW PRISON CHANGED HIM, AND WHY HE'LL NEVER WATCH HIS DRAGONS' DEN PITCH

- JOSIE COPSON

Levi Roots walked into Dragons’ Den in 2007 playing his guitar and singing, “Put some music in my food for me and give me some Reggae Reggae Sauce.” His pitch is often hailed as the best ever, catching the attention of Peter Jones and Richard Farleigh, who invested in his product.

His business is now reportedly worth £45 million, which is even more impressive when you learn how he turned his life around. Having previously served time for drug possession, he was turned away by investors as his product was “too black”. Levi, who lives with his partner Martina and son Christopher, seven, tells OK! about his incredible story...

Do you ever watch your Dragons’ Den pitch?

Oh my God, no! I’m so proud it was voted best pitch when the BBC did a special, but for me it was terrible. Did you see how much I was sweating? But even though I was rubbish and got my numbers wrong, they invested in me. In these modern times, social media tells us to be somebody else, but when it comes to it, you have to be real.

Do you still work closely with Peter Jones?