‘There have probably been 30 to 40 businesses launched as a result of the show,’ he tells business advice website SmallBusiness.co.uk.

‘I don’t know why it is, but in Britain we have a tendency to look at all the negatives, when we should just be inspired by people doing well.’

Caan says that despite the lagging business climate enthusiasm from the budding entrepreneurs is still strong.

‘People can’t determine when they have a great idea. I started my [recruitment] business Humana International in 1992 when we were in a recession and at the time everyone laughed at me. I managed to grow it into 147 offices in 30 countries.’

Last month Caan was appointed co-chair of the Ethnic Minority Taskforce and says his main involvement has been helping to publicise the government’s £20 billion rescue package to small businesses.

He adds: ‘This is the group who need it the most. The mere fact that a lot of people don’t know how to access money needs to be addressed.’

James Caan is currently shooting his third series of Dragons’ Den and has plans to film a fourth.