Which Dragon was the first to leave the original investor panel of the UK show Dragon's Den?

Simon Woodroffe was the first Dragon to leave the original investor panel of the UK show Dragon's Den.

Woodroffe was part of the programme's original investor group when the BBC series launched in 2005. He is an entrepreneur best known for founding the Yo! brand, including the Yo! Sushi restaurant concept, and for developing businesses built around distinctive customer experiences.

His departure occurred after the first series, making him the earliest member of the original panel to leave. Theo Paphitis joined the panel for the second series, but that addition should not be confused with the identity of the first departing original Dragon.

The original lineup is often remembered as a fixed group even though it changed quickly. Rachel Elnaugh and Doug Richard also left the early panel at different points, while Peter Jones remained associated with the programme for much longer. The answer therefore depends on the chronology of departures, not on which investor was most famous or which Dragon left after the greatest number of episodes.