Five original investors formed the first Dragon's Den panel in the UK series.
The inaugural panel consisted of Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Simon Woodroffe and Doug Richard. Together, they established the programme’s initial group of entrepreneurs and investors when the BBC series began in 2005.
Each dragon brought a different business background and investment style. Peter Jones was associated with technology and communications, Duncan Bannatyne with leisure and health businesses, Rachel Elnaugh with retail and beauty, Simon Woodroffe with hospitality and design, and Doug Richard with technology entrepreneurship.
Panel membership changed substantially over the years, which can make the phrase “original dragons” confusing. Some early investors left after the first series or later returned in other roles, while new dragons joined in subsequent seasons. The count refers specifically to the first regular panel, not every investor who has appeared across the programme’s history.