Derrick Evans

Derrick Errol Evans (born 15 November 1952), better known as "Mr Motivator", is a Jamaican-born British fitness instructor. He rose to fame in 1993 through appearances on the UK breakfast television show GMTV, where he performed live fitness sessions and offered tips and advice to viewers. Mr Motivator would often perform these workout sessions live before Power Rangers would air as part of GMTV programming. Mr Motivator mostly wore tight fitting and very colourful spandex outfits for his fitness sessions. In response to the popularity of his fitness sessions, he released a number of fitness and workout videos in the 1990s.

Mr Motivator
Born
Derrick Errol Evans

(1952-11-15) 15 November 1952
Manchester Parish, Jamaica
OccupationFitness instructor and motivational speaker
Known forMr Motivator exercise routines on GMTV
Spouse(s)
Sandra Evans
(
m. 1996)
Children4
Websitewww.mrmotivator.com

Early life and career

Evans was born on 15 November 1952 in Manchester Parish, Jamaica to a single mother who gave him away when he was three months.[1] His adopted father, Stanford Rose,[2] was a farmer on a small farm in Jamaica.[3] Evans said he was sexually abused as a child.[1] His adopted family moved in 1961 to Leicester in the UK where his father worked as a labourer on a knitwear factory.[3] His mother, Teresa, left the UK after two years because of the climate but his adopted father stayed until Evans was 17.[2] Evans first job at 17 was working for the East Midlands Gas Board in the customer complaints department.[2] He said that the worst time in his life was when he was 22, had a three-year old daughter, could not pay his bills and was homeless for nine months.[3] He sold costume jewellery in high street shops and became financially secure.[4]

In 1983 he taught exercise classes at a church hall in Neasden, North West London. His classes became popular and he was asked by the British Heart Foundation to give classes throughout the country. He applied repeatedly to be taken on by ITV and eventually in 1993 Greg Dyke hired him for the breakfast show GMTV.[1]

Evans said the name Mr Motivator came from street performances he, Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan gave to crowds in shopping centres and streets. Finnigan shouted that Evans was a motivator and the name stuck.[1]

GMTV (1993–2000)

Evans found fame on the British breakfast programme GMTV in 1993 as Mr. Motivator, promoting health and fitness as a way of life. He performed fitness routines live on-air in highly coloured outfits, which quickly became his trademark. His appearances on GMTV led to Evans becoming (as Mr Motivator) well known in the UK.[5] Evans' popularity on GMTV led to the release of a number of fitness videos including Mr. Motivator's 10 Minute BLTs, Mr. Motivator's 10 Minute Workouts, Body Conditioner: Shot in Barbados, BLT2: Shot in Australia, and Bums Legs & Tums. One of his videos sold 1.5 million copies[3] and he is reported to have sold the most fitness DVDs in the UK.[1]

Evans left GMTV in 2000, and went back to Jamaica because his daughter had breathing problems.

After settling back down in Jamaica, Evans then started up a tourism business called H'Evans Scent, which offers activities such as ziplining and paintballing.[1] Evans continued to make personal appearances at events in the UK for the following decade. After leaving GMTV, and together with his son Benjamin, Evans formed his production company "Wicked Productions" and continued to release fitness videos, as well as making personal appearances, leading sales conferences, instructing team building exercises, and motivational talks for companies and organisations.[3]

GMTV Return (2009)

In 2009, Evans returned to GMTV as Mr Motivator for a three-week-long special to promote the public health programme Change4Life.[6] This led to Evans meeting the then British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, in promotion of the NHS Change4Life campaign. Evans also released in 2016 his autobiography The Warm Up, which chronicled his story of growing up in Jamaica.

Other media

In 2007, Evans made a comeback to TV, advertising his all new BLT workout. The exercise video was shot on location at various locations around Jamaica and was directed by Benjamin Earl Evans. The video focused on the bums, legs and tums areas, and combined dance steps and original music composed by Jamaican native Ross Cassa.

In 2010, Evans appeared as Mr Motivator at the 2010 Bestival on the Isle of Wight as a special guest on the main stage. He performed a fitness routine while encouraging the crowd to join in and generally increase the amount of exercise they do and their enjoyment of doing it. Evans has made numerous such appearances since, including Reading Festival and Truck Festival, at which he has performed every year since 2016.

In June 2014, the BBC announced that Evans would compete on a new Saturday gymnastics competition programme Tumble.[7] In July 2014, it was announced that he had withdrawn from the programme after dislocating his knee, necessitating surgery,[8] and would be replaced by actor Peter Duncan.

In 2016, Evans appeared as "Mr Motivator" on Lorraine, where he was interviewed by his old GMTV friend Lorraine Kelly, discussing his new book titled The Warm Up.[9] He also appeared on the BBC documentary Back in Time for the Weekend discussing 1990s exercise trends.[10]

Return to television

In 2020 he joined BBC television's HealthCheck UK Live[11] to "keep Britain fit in lockdown"[12] during the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with the resurgence in home-based workout routines. In May 2020 he is set to join Ideal World live everyday at 12pm for a workout routine all in aid of AgeUK

Personal life

Evans lives with his wife Sandra Palmer[4] and youngest daughter Abigail[2] in St Ann, Jamaica, dividing his time between Jamaica and the United Kingdom. In addition to his media, motivational and fitness work, Evans and his son James[2] own and operate H'Evans Scent,[13] an ecotourism resort, and PaintSplat, Jamaica's first paintball operation.[1] He has been married three times[14] and has previously been in a relationship with Olympic javelin champion Tessa Sanderson.[15]

Charity work

In 2007, Evans presented Move It For MS, an exercise DVD for people with multiple sclerosis[1] produced by the MS Trust. He described working with people with MS as "One of the most rewarding experiences of my career. Movement and exercise makes people feel good, valued and puts a smile on everyone's face."[16]

In 2009, Evans started supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer joining the Breakthrough Running Club as a celebrity expert, helping motivate runners of all standards.

On 12 June 2009, Evans entertained the crowds at the Manchester Midnight Walk in aid of St Ann's Hospice, performing routines and then starting the walk off at midnight.[17][18]

In 2020 Evans was helping a charity called Help4Harry which helps a boy with muscular dystrophy.[3][2]

Music career

In 2012, Evans made the move to the music scene, with his release of "In Da House" music video. The video was directed by two&fro, and featured Evans as Mr Motivator getting members of the public to become more active. The video was shot on location in London, England.

Bibliography
  • Evans, Derrick (2016). The Warm Up, Filament Publishing, Croydon, UK ISBN 978-1910819579

References
  1. Holland, Kay (29 January 2016). "TNT meets... Mr Motivator". TNT Magazine. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  2. Binns, Katie (24 November 2019). "Mr Motivator: From rats in my flat to sit-ups with the stars". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  3. Ferguson, Donna (1 February 2020). "Mr Motivator: I gave up on pensions and live like there's no tomorrow!". This is Money. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  4. Power, Vicki (19 March 2016). "Where are they now... ? Mr Motivator". The Express. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  5. Fox-Leonard, Boudicca (11 March 2019). "Mr Motivator: 'I'm back! But what's happened to the world of fitness since I left?'". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  6. Rajani, Deepika (30 March 2020). "Mr Motivator returns to TV - here's all you need to know about Derrick Evans". INews. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  7. HR / SM4 (13 June 2014). "Celebrity line-up revealed for new BBC One show, Tumble". BBC Media Centre. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  8. "Mr Motivator leaves BBC's Tumble after suffering knee injury". Independent. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  9. Kelley, Lorraine (1 February 2020). "Mr Motivator is back and ready to get us moving". ITV. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  10. "Working out with Mr Motivator, Back in Time for the Weekend". BBC Two. 23 February 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  11. Langley, Edwina (26 March 2020). "Mr Motivator returns! Iconic '90s fitness instructor joins BBC One's new HealthCheck UK Live show". Radio Times. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  12. Waterson, Jim (26 March 2020). "Mr Motivator makes TV return on BBC to keep Britain fit in lockdown 26 March 2020". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
  13. "H'Evans Scent Zipline and Paintball Adventure Ocho Rios, St Ann, Jamaica". Jamaica Scene. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  14. Lewis, Helen. "Literally PR authors - Derrick Evans - Mr Motivator - The Warm Up". Literally PR. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  15. Laws, Roz (17 July 2010). "Ron Atkinson will have last laugh on Tessa Sanderson's MasterChef disaster". Birmingham Mail. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  16. "Move it for MS!". Way Ahead. 11 (4): 1. October 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2009.
  17. "Charity runs". Breast Cancer Now. 20 June 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
  18. News Team (18 February 2020). "Mr Motivator to warm up the Midnight Walk 2020!". St Ann's Hospice. Retrieved 27 July 2020.
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