Who was the first Scottish entrepreneur to become a dragon on the British show Dragons' Den?

Duncan Bannatyne was the first Scottish entrepreneur to become a dragon on the British show Dragons' Den.

Bannatyne was born in Clydebank, Scotland, in 1949 and built businesses in care homes, health clubs and other sectors. He joined the original Dragons' Den panel when the BBC programme launched in 2005.

His investment career on the show made him one of its best-known early dragons. He was especially associated with challenging entrepreneurs about valuation, profitability and whether a proposal could produce a realistic return.

The fact is sometimes muddled with Bannatyne’s later association with health clubs. His nationality and original-panel status are separate details: he was Scottish, and he was present from the programme’s beginning. The show’s investor line-up later included entrepreneurs from many different backgrounds.