On what date did the UK television show Dragon's Den premiere?

The UK television show Dragon's Den premiered on 4 January 2005.

The programme launched on BBC Two as a British adaptation of the Japanese business format Money Tigers. Entrepreneurs present business ideas to a panel of investors, who decide whether to offer their own money in exchange for equity.

The first series established the format later associated with the programme: a presentation in the Den, questioning from the Dragons, and negotiation over valuation and ownership. The original panel included Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis, Rachel Elnaugh and Doug Richard.

The premiere date is sometimes confused with the date of the Japanese original or with later series launches. Dragon's Den has continued through many presenter and investor changes, but its UK debut remains in January 2005.