The BBC announced Steven Bartlett as a new dragon on Dragons' Den in 2021.
The announcement came in 2021, ahead of his first appearance in the programme’s twentieth series, which aired in 2022. This distinction matters because people often answer 2022: that was the year viewers saw him on the show, while the appointment announcement was made the previous year.
Bartlett was 29 when he joined the panel, making him the youngest-ever dragon in the UK series. His background was in digital marketing and media, especially through Social Chain, the company he co-founded. His appointment signalled a stronger emphasis on technology, online businesses, and younger entrepreneurs.
Dragons' Den has frequently announced new investors before the corresponding episodes are broadcast. As a result, an appointment year and an on-screen debut year can differ. Here, the precise answer concerns the BBC announcement, not the twentieth series’ broadcast year.