Why is Dragons' Den star Peter Jones in Geek Girl?
The new Netflix series, based on the hit YA novels, follow a neurodiverse teen who accidentally lands a job as a model and has some surprising cameos.
Geek Girl is the new Netflix teen drama taking TV by storm. Fans of the book are celebrating seeing their hero Harriet Manners brought to life on the small screen, and many viewers are falling in love with for the first time.
The story follows how neurodiverse teen Harriet (Emily Carey) literally falls into the job of fashion model thanks to a chance encounter, and how she manages being propelled from struggling with life as an awkward schoolgirl to strutting her stuff on the catwalk in front of the fashion elite.
The main target audience for Geek Girl may be on the younger side, but any parents or older fans who have already binge-watched the show may have spotted some surprising cameos from stars they recognise. Perhaps the most unlikely being Dragons' Den star Peter Jones.
Why is Peter Jones in Geek Girl?
While the millionaire businessman and investor may be known for his stylish dressing and snazzy socks in the den, his connection with the fashion world is not immediately obvious. So Geek Girl viewers may have been a little confused when they spotted Jones appearing as Deano, Harriet's father's boss, in the series.
Jones, 58, is not known as an actor although he has made a few cameos as himself in the past. But in Episode 5 of Geek Girl, Harriet's dad - played by Tim Downie of Toast of London and Outlander - takes a video call from his boss. The name Deano Boss appears on screen, but the face and voice is immediately familiar as that of entrepreneur Jones.
Geek Girl's executive producer Zoe Rocha told Yahoo UK: "Our intention with this show was to approach every area with authenticity and warmth. We reached out to various people to cameo throughout the show in different roles across the fashion world from Dame Zandra Rhodes to Marie Helvin and felt exactly the same about casting someone from the business world as Richard’s boss.
"I’m a huge fan of Dragon’s Den - it’s a guilty pleasure - and Peter Jones always comes across like a warm, fun and charming man on screen. So we thought it would be a great Easter egg for some audience members and asked him if he’d be up for it. He immediately said yes, as his daughters have been fans of the book."
Jones has four daughter and a son. He shares eldest daughter Anabelle and son William with his first wife Caroline. Anabelle welcomed his first granddaughter in January 2024. He is also father to daughters Isabella, Natalia and Tallulah. Jones previously cameoed as himself in BBC crime drama Hustle, alongside Dragons Duncan Bannatyne and Deborah Meaden in 2010.
And Peter Jones is not the only recognisable face in the series. Here are some other familiar faces to look out for in Geek Girl.
Sadie Frost
Actor, fashion designer and Primrose Hill set partier Sadie Frost appears in Episode Eight of the show as the director of an arty perfume ad that Harriet is cast in. Her parents chaperone her on the set, only to get chucked off by security for messing around taking selfies.
Dame Zandra Rhodes
British designer Dame Zandra Rodes, 83, is easy to spot, thanks to her bright pink hair. And so she stands out clearly in the final episode of Geek Girl, sitting in the front row at an exclusive fashion event.
Marie Helvin
Marie Helvin, 71, is a fashion model whose career spans almost 50 years and has worked for the likes of Yves Saint Laurent, Versace and Valentino. She was married to acclaimed fashion photographer David Bailey and has graced the pages of Vogue. In the last episode of the series, Helvin can be seen walking the catwalk shortly before Harriet takes her own turn - demonstrating exactly how it should be done.
Sarah Parish
Younger Geek Girl viewers might not realise it, but Sarah Parish is known to many for her starring roles in hit shows including Cutting It, W1A, Mistresses and Industry. She plays malevolent modeling agency boss Drew Payton.
Geek Girl is based on Holly Smale's award-winning debut novel which was published in 2013 and spawned a series. Geek Girl is available to stream on Netflix now.
Read more: Geek Girl
All you need to know about Geek Girl on Netflix - Cast list, plot and trailer (News Shopper, 2 min read)
Geek Girl Review: Emily Carey Shines in Netflix’s Wholesome YA Fashion Comedy (The Hollywood Reporter, 6 min read)
Will there be a season 2 of Geek Girl? (Cosmopolitan, 2 min read)
