Peter Jones was the only original Dragon's Den investor to remain on the panel continuously through series 1 to 17.
Jones appeared from the programme's first series in 2005 and became its longest-serving original dragon. His business interests have included telecommunications, technology, retail and media, giving him a broad range of experience when assessing pitches.
The other original investors did not have the same continuous run across those series. Duncan Bannatyne and Theo Paphitis were prominent early dragons, while Richard Farleigh appeared for a shorter period. Deborah Meaden joined later, in series three.
This fact concerns continuous panel membership, not every episode ever broadcast. Dragons can be absent from individual episodes, and guest investors have also appeared. Jones's long tenure is why he is often described as the panel's veteran.