Peter Jones is the only original Dragon's Den investor to have appeared continuously since the UK show's 2005 launch.
Jones was part of the inaugural panel with Duncan Bannatyne, Deborah Meaden, Theo Paphitis and Rachel Elnaugh. He became a defining figure in the series because he remained a regular investor while the other original dragons eventually left or were replaced.
The statement concerns continuous participation in the British programme, not investment success or personal wealth. Several other investors have become strongly associated with the show, but they joined later. The distinction is especially important because Deborah Meaden, for example, became a long-running dragon after joining the panel in the third series.
Jones is an entrepreneur and investor whose business interests have included technology, media and consumer products. His long tenure has made him one of the most recognisable faces of the British format and a frequent point of comparison when the show's changing panel is discussed.