Peter Jones has been the only original Dragon to remain throughout the British series of Dragon's Den.
Jones joined the original panel when the programme launched in 2005 and continued as an investor through later changes to the cast. His business interests include technology, mobile communications, media and leisure, and his public profile grew substantially through the BBC series.
The original panel also included Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Simon Woodroffe and Doug Richard. Each of those original investors eventually left the programme, so Jones became the continuing link with the first series.
The phrase “original Dragon” refers to the investors in the launch panel, not every investor who appeared during the show's early years. Later Dragons such as Deborah Meaden joined after the programme had begun.