Which British entrepreneur was one of the five original dragons in Dragon's Den series one?

Duncan Bannatyne was one of the five original dragons in Dragon's Den series one.

Bannatyne is a Scottish entrepreneur, philanthropist and author. He joined the original investor panel when the British programme launched, appearing alongside Peter Jones, Theo Paphitis, Rachel Elnaugh and Doug Richard. That first lineup established the format's familiar mixture of business expertise, sharp questioning and negotiation.

Bannatyne's business career included health clubs, care homes and other ventures. On Dragon's Den, he became associated with a direct and often forceful style when testing entrepreneurs' assumptions about pricing, demand and profitability.

He is sometimes incorrectly grouped with later dragons because the programme has had many investors over its long run. Deborah Meaden joined in series three, while other names such as Kelly Hoppen and Touker Suleyman arrived much later. Bannatyne belongs specifically to the original five-person panel.