Five investors usually sit on the panel in the BBC business series Dragons' Den.
The show presents a panel of five wealthy businesspeople, each of whom may question an entrepreneur and decide whether to make an offer. Their different backgrounds create the possibility of competing offers, joint deals or no investment at all. The panel is collectively known as the Dragons.
The exact individuals have changed across series, and not every Dragon necessarily appears in every episode. Guest or replacement investors can also alter the line-up, but the standard panel size is five. This is why an episode may feature familiar Dragons alongside a newer or temporary member.
The number is part of the format's recognisable structure. Entrepreneurs enter the Den, make a concise presentation, answer questions about sales and finances, and then face negotiations with the investors. A televised agreement is not automatically a completed investment, because later checks can affect the final deal.