Which British businesswoman replaced Rachel Elnaugh as a Dragon on Dragon's Den?

Deborah Meaden replaced Rachel Elnaugh as a Dragon on the British show Dragon's Den.

Meaden joined the investor panel for the second series in 2006, after Elnaugh's departure from the regular line-up. Her arrival gave the programme a new female investor and added experience from the leisure, retail and property sectors.

The sequence matters because Rachel Elnaugh was part of the original 2005 panel, while Meaden became a regular only afterward. Both women are strongly associated with the programme, so biographies and episode lists can be confused when the question asks who replaced whom.

Meaden went on to become one of the show's longest-serving and most recognisable Dragons. She is also known for her business career outside television, including work with the Weststar leisure group and other commercial ventures.