When did the British business television show Dragons' Den first premiere?

The British business television show Dragons' Den first premiered on 4 January 2005.

The BBC launched the programme as a British adaptation of a Japanese business format. Entrepreneurs enter a studio and present their companies or ideas to wealthy investors, who decide whether to offer their own money in exchange for equity. The format combines a formal pitch with questioning and negotiation.

The first series established several features that became central to the programme, including the entrepreneurs' walk into the den, the Dragons' questioning, and the phrase describing an investor who has withdrawn interest. The original panel included Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Simon Woodroffe and Doug Richard.

The premiere date is sometimes confused with the date of a later series or with the launch date of the international Dragons' Den franchise. Dragons' Den later became one of the BBC's best-known factual entertainment programmes and inspired adaptations in several countries.