The BBC television series Dragons' Den first premiered in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2005.
The British version is an adaptation of the Japanese format Money Tigers and follows entrepreneurs presenting business proposals to a panel of wealthy investors, known as dragons. The programme was commissioned for BBC Two and became one of the channel's best-known factual-entertainment series.
The premiere date is sometimes confused with the launch dates of other national versions, because the format was exported widely. It is also distinct from the first broadcast of the Japanese programme that inspired the concept. The British series has continued through many changes in its panel and presenting team.
BBC One later broadcast selected specials and related programming, but the main series is associated with BBC Two. The original 2005 launch established the familiar pitch-room structure used in subsequent series.