Peter Jones was the original Dragon who remained on the UK version of Dragon's Den from its first series.
Jones joined the BBC programme when it began in 2005 and became its longest-serving investor. His business interests include technology, telecommunications, media and consumer brands, giving him a broad commercial background for assessing pitches. On the programme, he is particularly associated with examining valuation, ownership percentages and the practical route to growth.
The original panel also included Duncan Bannatyne, Rachel Elnaugh, Simon Woodroffe and Doug Richard. All four later left the programme, while new investors were introduced in successive series. This changing panel is a common source of confusion when viewers identify the show's “original Dragons.”
Jones's continued presence gave the British edition a link to its earliest format. Although the investors are television personalities, their offers are conditional: an entrepreneur may accept, reject or renegotiate a proposal, and an on-screen deal is not necessarily completed after due diligence.