On what date did the first episode of the BBC's Dragon's Den air in the United Kingdom?

The first episode of the BBC's Dragon's Den aired in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2005.

The programme brought entrepreneurs before a panel of wealthy business investors, known as dragons, who could offer money in exchange for an ownership stake. It became the British version of an international television format built around business pitches and negotiation.

Dragon's Den began on BBC Two, rather than BBC One, and its early success helped establish it as one of Britain's best-known factual entertainment programmes. The format later produced local versions in several countries.

The British series is sometimes confused with Dragons' Den programmes from other territories, whose premiere dates are different. The date above refers specifically to the UK BBC programme, not to the original format or an overseas adaptation.