The British TV programme Dragon's Den first premiered in 2005.
The BBC launched the British adaptation in 2005, bringing the international investor-pitch format to a UK audience. Entrepreneurs entered the den, presented their businesses and asked the panel for money in return for a share of their companies.
The programme was initially broadcast on BBC Two and became a long-running fixture of British factual entertainment. Its early panel included Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis, Rachel Elnaugh and Simon Woodroffe, giving the first series a mixture of retail, leisure and entrepreneurial experience.
The year is sometimes confused with the launch dates of overseas versions. Dragon's Den itself is the British adaptation, whereas related programmes such as Shark Tank belong to other national television markets. The Japanese programme Money Tigers predates the British series and provided its format inspiration.