BBC Two originally aired Dragons' Den when the British programme launched.
The first series premiered on BBC Two in 2005. The channel was widely associated with factual programming, documentaries and factual entertainment, making it the original home for the business-pitch format. The show later became an established part of British television culture and attracted a broad audience beyond specialist business viewers.
Its format is straightforward but dramatic: entrepreneurs present a proposal, reveal the amount of money they want and offer equity in return. The dragons then test the idea through questions about sales, margins, valuation, competition and the founder's plans.
BBC One is sometimes selected because it is the BBC's main general-entertainment channel, but it was not the original broadcaster of the programme. ITV1 and Channel 4 also did not launch the British version. The key distinction is between the BBC network and the specific channel that first carried the series.