Who was the first female permanent Dragon on the UK television show Dragons' Den?

Rachel Elnaugh was the first female permanent Dragon on the UK television show Dragons' Den.

Elnaugh joined the original panel when the BBC launched the British version in 2005. She was known for building Red Letter Days, an experience-gift company, and brought an entrepreneurial retail perspective to the programme.

Elnaugh appeared in the first two series before leaving the main panel. Deborah Meaden later became the best-known long-serving female Dragon, but she was not the first woman to hold the permanent role. Sara Davies and Kelly Hoppen joined much later.

The word “permanent” matters because Dragons' Den has also featured guest investors and changing panels. Elnaugh’s place in the original cast makes her an important figure in the programme’s early history, even though later Dragons became more familiar to many viewers.