The UK version of Dragons' Den first broadcast on BBC Two in 2005.
The programme launched as a British adaptation of an international business reality format. Entrepreneurs enter a studio and present their business ideas to experienced investors, who decide whether to offer their own money in exchange for a stake in the company.
BBC Two was the channel associated with the show's original British run, rather than BBC One or a commercial broadcaster. The programme became one of the channel's best-known factual-entertainment series and later developed a substantial online audience through clips and full pitch discussions.
A common mix-up is confusing the UK series with other national versions, especially the Canadian series, which is also known as Dragons' Den. The BBC programme is distinct in its British investors, presenters and business environment. The format's title uses the plural “Dragons” because several investors sit together on the panel.