The British show Dragons' Den first featured Duncan Bannatyne as a Dragon in 2005.
Bannatyne was part of the original investor line-up when the British adaptation launched. He brought experience from leisure, health clubs and other businesses, and became associated with a straightforward style of questioning and negotiation.
His television role followed a business career that included the Bannatyne Group, a major health-club and spa operator. That company background informed his interest in businesses with recurring customers, operational scale and clear routes to profitability.
The year can be confused with the dates when other investors joined or left the panel. Dragons' Den's line-up changed repeatedly, but Bannatyne was present from the programme's first British series in 2005.