Five investor seats are normally shown on the main panel of BBC television's Dragon's Den.
The five-Dragon arrangement gives the programme its familiar visual and dramatic structure. Each investor can question a founder, make an offer, decline to invest or join another Dragon in a joint deal. The panel’s members have varied across series, so the identities of the five people are not fixed.
Guest investors and changes in the regular lineup can alter which Dragons appear in a particular episode. Nevertheless, the standard format presents five investor positions, which is why the show is usually described through a panel rather than a single judge or host.
The number is also a useful way to distinguish the British programme from other business formats. Shark Tank, for example, has a similar pitch-and-equity premise but uses its own lineup and presentation conventions.