Who was the female Dragon on the original panel of the BBC programme Dragon's Den?

Rachel Elnaugh was the female Dragon on the original panel of the BBC programme Dragon's Den.

Elnaugh joined the first British panel alongside Peter Jones, Duncan Bannatyne, Theo Paphitis and Doug Richard. She was known for her business career and for her role as an investor in the show's earliest series. Her presence made her one of the programme's original Dragons when the UK version launched in 2005.

Rachel Elnaugh is particularly associated with Red Letter Days, a gift-experience company she co-founded. The company became prominent for selling experiences such as activities and short breaks as gifts. Its later financial difficulties are part of the wider business history often discussed alongside Elnaugh's television career.

Viewers sometimes identify Deborah Meaden as the original female Dragon because she became one of the show's most recognisable long-term investors. Meaden joined after the first series, so she was not part of the original panel. Sara Davies and Kelly Hoppen joined much later still.