Deborah Meaden joined the British programme in its third series and became its longest-serving female dragon.
Meaden entered Dragon's Den after the first two series, replacing Rachel Elnaugh on the regular panel. She quickly became one of the programme's most recognisable investors, known for direct questioning and a focus on whether a business could scale and produce reliable returns.
Before joining the show, Meaden built a career in business and investment, including work in the leisure and hospitality sectors. Her public profile expanded substantially through Dragon's Den, where she invested in a range of companies and became a familiar television personality.
The timing matters because Rachel Elnaugh was the first female dragon, while Meaden was the woman who followed her and remained on the programme for many years. Sara Davies and other female investors joined later, so they do not fit the question's series-three clue.