The original Dragons' Den panel in the UK series consisted of five investors.
The first panel brought together Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Simon Woodroffe and Doug Richard. Each investor had a different business background, giving the programme a range of viewpoints during negotiations with entrepreneurs.
The panel size is a format feature rather than a permanent rule for every episode. Later series changed the lineup, and some episodes used guest investors or different combinations of dragons. That is why the number of visible investors can vary when viewers compare seasons.
The UK show began in 2005 and is based on the Japanese format Money Tigers. Its investors decide independently whether to make an offer, and a pitch can end with one dragon, several dragons or no investment at all.