Duncan Bannatyne left the regular Dragon's Den panel in 2014 after appearing from the series' first episode.
Bannatyne was part of the original British panel when Dragon's Den premiered in 2005. His business background included care homes, health clubs and other leisure ventures, and he became one of the programme's most recognisable early investors.
He announced his departure from the regular panel in 2014. That date distinguishes him from Peter Jones, who remained associated with the programme, and Deborah Meaden, who joined after the first series. The timing also belongs to the regular television panel rather than every later appearance or special event.
The phrase “from its first episode” means Bannatyne was an original Dragon, not simply an investor who joined during the first broadcast year. His departure marked another change in a programme whose panel has evolved repeatedly while retaining its core pitch-and-invest format.