The first series of the UK television show Dragon's Den premiered in 2005.
The programme is a British adaptation of the international Dragons' Den format, in which entrepreneurs present businesses to wealthy investors and negotiate for investment. The UK version was commissioned by the BBC and became one of its best-known factual entertainment series.
The first series introduced the central setup: contestants enter a specially designed room, make a pitch, and answer questions about sales, costs, ownership and growth. The investors are called “dragons”, while the entrepreneurs are often described as “pitchers”.
A common mix-up is confusing the UK launch date with the start of the American version, Shark Tank, which premiered later in 2009. Dragon's Den also has versions in many other countries, but the British series began in 2005.