Deborah Meaden joined the British series Dragon's Den in its third series as Rachel Elnaugh's replacement.
Meaden entered the panel in 2006, following Elnaugh's departure after the programme's second series. She brought experience from leisure and retail businesses, including her work with family-owned holiday-park operations.
Her direct questioning and focus on commercial fundamentals quickly made her one of the programme's most recognisable investors. She has remained associated with Dragon's Den for many years, although the other dragons around her have changed repeatedly.
The timing matters because Deborah Meaden was not part of the original five-dragon panel. The original female dragon was Rachel Elnaugh; Meaden became the later long-running female investor most viewers associate with the show.