The first UK series of Dragons' Den premiered in 2005.
The programme brought the Japanese investment format Money Tigers to British television. Entrepreneurs enter a room, present their business and request investment from a panel of experienced businesspeople. Each Dragon decides independently whether the proposal is attractive, and an apparent on-screen agreement can still require further negotiation after filming.
The 2005 launch established the central conventions that audiences still associate with the programme: a fixed pitch area, direct questioning, equity negotiations and the memorable declaration that an investor is “out.” The date is sometimes confused with the launch years of overseas versions, because the format was later adapted in countries including Canada, Ireland and Australia. The UK programme itself, however, began in 2005, making that year the key date in its British television history.