Duncan Bannatyne was an original dragon on the 2005 panel of BBC's Dragons' Den and founded Bannatyne Group.
Bannatyne built a business empire that included health clubs, spas and hotels. The Bannatyne Group became particularly associated with health and fitness clubs across the United Kingdom, making his commercial background distinct from the technology and media interests of several other investors.
He joined the first Dragons' Den panel alongside Peter Jones, Rachel Elnaugh, Simon Woodroffe and Doug Richard. Bannatyne remained a dragon through the programme's early years and left after the eighth series. His direct, energetic questioning became one of the recognisable features of the original panel.
Duncan Bannatyne is sometimes confused with Peter Jones because both were present from the first episode and both became strongly associated with the show's early identity. The key distinction is that Bannatyne founded the group carrying his name, while Jones is the original investor who continued on the programme for the longest period.