The BBC originally commissioned the British version of Dragon's Den for BBC Two.
The programme was developed as a UK adaptation of the Japanese business reality format Money Tigers. It gave entrepreneurs an opportunity to seek investment by pitching products and companies directly to a panel of businesspeople.
BBC Two was the programme's original home when the first episode aired in January 2005. The channel is associated with factual, documentary and specialist programming, making it the initial broadcast outlet for the show's business-focused format.
The broadcaster is sometimes confused with the commercial networks that carry other national versions. Dragons' Den adaptations have been produced for different broadcasters around the world, but the British programme was commissioned and launched by the BBC.