Rachel Elnaugh was one of the five original dragons when the British Dragon's Den launched in 2005.
Elnaugh joined the inaugural investor panel alongside Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden and Theo Paphitis. Her business background came from the retail sector: she co-founded Red Letter Days, a company selling experience gifts.
Her presence is historically notable because she was the original female dragon in the British series. She appeared in the first two series, after which the panel changed and other female investors later joined the programme.
A common mix-up is identifying Deborah Meaden as an original investor. Meaden became one of the show's best-known dragons, but she joined the regular panel after the opening series. Rachel Elnaugh's tenure was shorter, yet her participation places her among the five investors who established the British version's original on-screen identity.