The first British Dragon's Den panel contained five original investors.
The original group consisted of Peter Jones, Theo Paphitis, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, and Doug Richard. Together they formed the programme's first set of dragons when the British version launched in 2005.
The panel later changed substantially. Rachel Elnaugh and Doug Richard departed after the early series, while other investors joined in subsequent years. The rotating membership means that viewers who know a later line-up may remember a different number or combination of dragons.
This count refers specifically to the original panel, not the number of investors appearing in one later episode. The programme's title uses “dragons” as a metaphor for powerful business people assessing entrepreneurs and their proposals.