When did the British TV show Dragon's Den first premiere on BBC Two?

The British TV show Dragon's Den first premiered on BBC Two on 4 January 2005.

The programme brought entrepreneurs into a studio to pitch businesses to a panel of wealthy investors, known as the Dragons. Contestants could seek investment in exchange for a percentage of their company. The format was adapted for Britain from a Japanese business reality show.

Dragon's Den quickly became a long-running BBC factual-entertainment series. Its first panel included Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Simon Woodroffe and Doug Richard. Several of those investors later became strongly associated with the programme, although the panel has changed repeatedly.

A common mix-up is the show's relationship with Dragons' Den editions in other countries. The British programme began in 2005, while international versions have their own launch dates, panels and broadcasters. The British series is also distinct from the similarly formatted US programme Shark Tank.