When was the first episode of the BBC business series Dragons' Den broadcast in the UK?

The first episode of the BBC business series Dragons' Den was broadcast in the UK on 4 January 2005.

The programme brought entrepreneurs before a panel of wealthy investors, known as Dragons, who could offer money in exchange for an ownership stake in a business. Its format was adapted for British television from the Japanese programme Money Tigers.

The UK series became a long-running BBC factual-entertainment programme and later produced international versions. The first episode is sometimes confused with the start of the show's first production year, but the UK broadcast date is the specific date used for its television debut.