The latest businesswoman recruited to TV’s Dragons' Den has a fierce reputation and even fiercer shoulder pads, but is her bark worse than her bite? Roz Laws found out.

With her icy stare, huge shoulder pads and deep voice, there are few more intimidating women on television than Hilary Devey.

Anne Robinson is at least putting on an act for The Weakest Link, but the latest recruit to Dragons’ Den really means business.

But, although she is clearly formidable, the Midland multimillionaire claims she does have a heart – and a lot of sympathy for the nervous entrepreneurs who venture into the den to pitch for investment.

“I do empathise,” says the 54-year-old who lives in Staffordshire.

“It’s hard to stand in front of five people interrogating you on your projections and bottom line. Unless you’re an accountant, you’re unlikely to remember it all, especially with sheer stage fright.

“It’s not the end of the world if someone doesn’t know their numbers. That didn’t stop me from investing in projects and I think sometimes the dragons drill down too much into the figures.

‘‘I don’t think you have to be ruthless and without compassion in business.

“But that’s not to say I’m not competitive.

“All the dragons are of the same ilk. We all work incredibly hard to get where we are, we know the value of money and none of us are prepared to squander it.

“I’m in the den to make deals, not friends. And I don’t suffer fools gladly.”

She proved that in the first episode when she lost her temper with a pitcher who couldn’t supply her with basic information about his business.

“I’m not amused, I’m angry. I’m out!” she told him.

Devey sold her house and car to build up her Leicestershire freight haulage company Pall-Ex into a £100 million business.

A Bolton pub landlord’s daughter, a phrase she uses more than once in our conversation is “what you see is what you get with me”.

She is resilient enough to have bounced back from setbacks in her personal life, especially her son Mevlit’s battle with drugs. He stole from her to pay for his £600-a-day heroin habit and she once had to drag him from a drug den in Derby.

She has spent more than £500,000 on his recovery and says he is now “on the mend”.

After two divorces, Devey married property developer Philip in March.

Her TV appearances include Secret Millionaire and The Business Inspector, but she’s a long-time fan of Dragons’ Den and was thrilled to be invited to replace James Caan.

But she doesn’t enjoy watching herself on TV.

“I look bloody awful!” she cries. “I said ‘Do I really look like this? I’m getting a facelift!’

“Actually I’m not, because I think you should grow old gracefully, but the girl at the Lancome counter might be seeing more of me.