Deborah Meaden first joined the investor panel of the British series Dragon's Den in 2006.
Meaden became a Dragon after the programme’s first series and quickly became one of its most recognisable investors. She is an English businesswoman who built a career in leisure, retail and property, including involvement with family businesses and tourism enterprises. Her direct questioning and focus on practical commercial details became characteristic of her appearances.
She joined the programme’s second series, which followed the 2005 launch. This timing is important because Meaden is often remembered as an “original Dragon” in the broader sense of being part of the show’s early identity, but she did not join the first series’ panel. Rachel Elnaugh was the other female investor in that initial lineup.
Meaden’s long association with the programme means she is frequently used as a reference point when discussing the show’s investor history. The precise answer is 2006, the year she entered the panel rather than the year Dragon's Den itself premiered.