Hilary Devey dead – Dragons' Den star dies aged 65 after long battle with illness

DRAGONS' Den star Hilary Devey has tragically died at the age of 65.

The TV favourite was staying at her holiday home in Morocco when she passed away on Saturday, her agent confirmed today.

Her spokesman told The Sun: "I can confirm that Hilary sadly died yesterday.

"She had been ill for some time."

Haulage boss Hilary, who received a CBE in 2013 for services to the transport industry and charity, starred in a series of TV shows.

She featured on the Secret Millionaire in 2008 and donated more than £70,000 to the Back Door Music Project and the Syke Community Centre in Rochdale.

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In March 2010, she presented The Business Inspector for Channel 5, a four-part documentary series aimed at transforming struggling businesses.

But twice-divorced Hilary's big break came in February 2011 when she joined the panel on the Dragons' Den, following the departure of James Caan.

She later announced she was leaving the series in June 2012 after signing a two-year agreement with Channel 4 before joining the Loose Women panel in 2015.

Hilary made her fortune after launching freight network Pall-Ex in 1996.

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She later revealed how her mum discovered, years into her relationship with Devey's father, that he already had a wife and four children.

Devey, a patron of the Stroke Association, also suffered the same fate after discovering that her ex-partner was also already married with five children.