When did the British television series Dragons' Den first premiere?

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

The programme launched as a British adaptation of the international Dragons' Den format, in which entrepreneurs present businesses to wealthy investors and negotiate for equity. Its first series established the central structure that remains familiar: a walk into the pitch room, a short presentation, questioning from the investors, and a possible offer.

The opening panel included Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Doug Richard and Simon Woodroffe. Although the investors and studio presentation have changed over time, the basic pitch-and-investment format has remained consistent.

The premiere date is sometimes confused with the show's BBC Two broadcast information. The series began on BBC Two, but the date is a separate fact: its first episode aired in January 2005. Dragons' Den subsequently became one of the BBC's best-known business entertainment programmes and helped popularise televised startup pitches in the United Kingdom.