Deborah Meaden joined the regular Dragon's Den panel in 2006.
Meaden replaced Rachel Elnaugh after the programme's first series and quickly became one of the show's best-known investors. Before joining television, she built a career in business, including work in leisure and retail. Her direct questioning and focus on financial detail became familiar features of her appearances.
The year 2006 matters because Meaden was not part of the original five-person panel that launched the British version in 2005. She joined during the programme's early development and remained associated with it for many years, making her one of its longest-serving Dragons.
Meaden is sometimes described as an original Dragon because she has been present for so much of the show's history. More precisely, she was an early replacement who became a long-term member of the regular panel.