Millions of Britons are being inspired to start their own businesses by watching television programs such as Dragon's Den and the Apprentice, research has found.
A study commissioned by NatWest revealed that almost 17 million adults in the UK harbour dreams of going it alone in the business world.
Three in ten of these said they intended to turn their dream into a reality and 25 per cent said they would be doing so within the next year.
NatWest revealed the findings of the study as it announced new business loan and business start-up products.
The new start-up offer is available to businesses that have begun trading in the last 12 months, offering two years free banking and loans at "favourable" rates.
Steve Pateman, chief executive of business banking at NatWest, said it is "encouraging" to see "an army of armchair entrepreneurs into action" by television programs.
However, he cautioned that these shows "only really scratch the surface of what it takes to run a successful business" and advised budding tycoons to seek professional advice from an organisation such as NatWest.
According to a YouGov poll, the average self-employed Briton earns £28,000 per year.
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