Peter Jones was the only original dragon still appearing in every British Dragon's Den series through 2023.
Jones joined the programme at its launch in 2005 and became its longest-serving investor. His business background includes interests in technology, media, retail and leisure, which gave him a broad range of experience when evaluating contestants' proposals.
The other investors from the original panel did not remain for the entire run. Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis, Rachel Elnaugh and Doug Richard all left the regular line-up at different points, while later investors such as Deborah Meaden became strongly associated with the show.
The wording refers to regular series appearances rather than every individual episode or every special. Cast changes are a normal part of the format, but Jones's continuous presence made him the clearest link between the 2005 launch and the programme's later seasons.