When did the UK television programme Dragon's Den first air?

The UK television programme Dragon's Den first aired on 4 January 2005.

The BBC version adapts the Japanese business reality format Money Tigers. Entrepreneurs present business ideas to wealthy investors, called dragons, and ask for money in exchange for a share of their company. The format combines a business pitch with negotiation, so the entrepreneurs must defend their valuation, sales figures and growth plans.

The programme became a long-running BBC property and helped bring investment terminology such as equity, turnover and valuation to a broad television audience. Its title uses the possessive form “Dragons' Den”, although many references and commercial materials use “Dragon's Den” informally.

The launch date is sometimes confused with later series premieres or with the 2006 arrival of Deborah Meaden. Those are later milestones: the British series itself began in January 2005, with its first panel including Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Doug Richard and Simon Woodroffe.