Peter Jones is the original dragon who has remained on the panel throughout the BBC's UK series Dragons' Den.
Jones joined the British programme when it began in 2005. He was part of the first investor group alongside Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Theo Paphitis and Doug Richard. The other original dragons eventually left the regular panel, while Jones continued through successive changes in the cast.
The programme's panel is not a permanent partnership: individual investors have departed, taken breaks or been replaced by entrepreneurs from different industries. That makes Jones's continuous presence a distinctive feature of the British edition. He is associated with investments in consumer products, technology and leisure businesses.
Viewers sometimes confuse “original dragon” with “longest-serving dragon.” Several investors have served for many years, but Jones is the surviving member of the launch lineup. The answer refers to the UK programme, not the similarly named versions produced in other countries.