When did the BBC Two series Dragon's Den first premiere in the United Kingdom?
Answer
4 January 2005
The BBC Two series Dragon's Den first premiered in the United Kingdom on 4 January 2005.
The programme brought entrepreneurs before a panel of wealthy investors, who became known as the Dragons. Contestants presented businesses, products or ideas and asked for investment in exchange for an ownership stake. The format was adapted for British television from the Japanese programme Money Tigers.
The launch date is sometimes confused with the year the format first appeared internationally. The Japanese original predated the British version, while the UK edition became one of the best-known adaptations. Its early success led to regular series, changing investor line-ups and international versions.
The first broadcast was on BBC Two, which remained the programme's original British home. The date therefore identifies the UK premiere rather than the launch of the wider Dragons' Den franchise.