Derrick Evans
Encyclopedia
Derrick Errol Evans better known as "Mr. Motivator", is a Jamaica
n-born British
exercise instructor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s through appearances on the UK
breakfast television
show GMTV
, where he dressed in tight, colourful spandex
outfits. Responding to the popularity of his segment, he released a number of fitness and workout videos in the 1990s.
He left the show in 2000 but an attempt to launch his own show failed and he disappeared from British screens. He continued to make personal appearances at events in the UK for the following decade. Evans returned to GMTV as Mr Motivator in 2009 for a three-week-long special to promote the public health
programme Change4Life
.
on 15 November 1952 and moved to Leicester in the UK in 1961. Evans found fame on the British breakfast television broadcaster GMTV in the early 1990s 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) one of the most famous fitness instructors in the UK, a position he still holds today.
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. He still holds the record for most fitness DVD sales in the UK ever.
After leaving GMTV, Derrick Evans continued to release fitness videos, as well as making personal appearances, compering sales conferences, instructing team building exercises, and motivational talks for companies and organisations. In his personal appearance work, he is famous for his catchphrases 'Be happy!' , 'Get wicked!', 'Everybody say yeah!' and 'everybody say HUH!'.
At the beginning of 2007 Evans made a comeback to TV, advertising
with his all new BLT workout. The exercise video focuses on the bums, legs and tums areas, and combines dance steps and original music. He also wrote about revolutionary methods in which you can exercise these areas The video was shot in Jamaica.
In 2008, Derrick Evans begun to make more and more appearances, particularly in the UK, including a special club night at Jesters Nightclub (part of the Clowns Winebar and Jesters Nightclub complex), in Southampton
, famous with the students from the University of Southampton
. He has also recently visited Nottingham Trent University
as part of a club night held in the university's Student Union
building.
, dividing his time between Jamaica
and the UK. In addition to his media, motivational and fitness work, Evans and his family own and operate H'Evans Scent, an ecotourism resort, and PaintSplat, Jamaica's first paintball operation.
Mr Motivator appeared at the 2010 Bestival
on the Isle of Wight
as a special guest on the main stage. He performed a fitness routine whilst encouraging the crowd to join in and generally increase the amount of exercise they do and their enjoyment of doing it.
On 4 December 2008 it was announced that Evans would be returning to GMTV
in 2009 as part of their new keep-fit campaign. This news led to Evans meeting the former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
, in promotion of the NHS
Change4Life
campaign. Evans will also soon be releasing his autobiography, which will chronicle his story of growing up in Jamaica
, rising to stardom on British television, and beyond.
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."
In 2009 Derrick Evans started supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer
joining the Breakthrough Running Club as a celebrity expert, helping motivate runners of all standards http://www.breakthrough.org.uk/running.
On the 12th June 2009 Mr Motivator 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.
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
n-born British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
exercise instructor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s through appearances on the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
breakfast television
Breakfast television
Breakfast television or morning show , is a type of infotainment television program, broadcast live in the morning...
show GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
, where he dressed in tight, colourful spandex
Spandex
Spandex or elastane is a synthetic fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It is strong, but less durable than natural Latex, its major non-synthetic competitor. It is a polyurethane-polyurea copolymer that was co-invented in 1959 by chemists C. L. Sandquist and Joseph Shivers at DuPont's...
outfits. Responding to the popularity of his segment, he released a number of fitness and workout videos in the 1990s.
He left the show in 2000 but an attempt to launch his own show failed and he disappeared from British screens. He continued to make personal appearances at events in the UK for the following decade. Evans returned to GMTV as Mr Motivator in 2009 for a three-week-long special to promote the public health
Public health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
programme Change4Life
Change4Life
Change4Life is a public health programme in the United Kingdom which began in January 2009, organised by the Department of Health. The campaign aims to encourage people in Britain to lead healthier lives, using the slogan "eat well, move more, live longer"...
.
Early life and career
Evans was born in Manchester, JamaicaManchester Parish, Jamaica
The parish of Manchester is located in west-central Jamaica, in the county of Middlesex. Its capital, Mandeville, is a major business centre, and the only parish capital not located on the coast or on a major river. The Right Excellent Norman Washington Manley The parish of Manchester is located in...
on 15 November 1952 and moved to Leicester in the UK in 1961. Evans found fame on the British breakfast television broadcaster GMTV in the early 1990s 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
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
led to Evans becoming (as Mr Motivator) one of the most famous fitness instructors in the UK, a position he still holds today.
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. He still holds the record for most fitness DVD sales in the UK ever.
After leaving GMTV, Derrick Evans continued to release fitness videos, as well as making personal appearances, compering sales conferences, instructing team building exercises, and motivational talks for companies and organisations. In his personal appearance work, he is famous for his catchphrases 'Be happy!' , 'Get wicked!', 'Everybody say yeah!' and 'everybody say HUH!'.
At the beginning of 2007 Evans made a comeback to TV, advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
with his all new BLT workout. The exercise video focuses on the bums, legs and tums areas, and combines dance steps and original music. He also wrote about revolutionary methods in which you can exercise these areas The video was shot in Jamaica.
In 2008, Derrick Evans begun to make more and more appearances, particularly in the UK, including a special club night at Jesters Nightclub (part of the Clowns Winebar and Jesters Nightclub complex), in Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, famous with the students from the University of Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
. He has also recently visited Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University
Nottingham Trent University is a public teaching and research university in Nottingham, United Kingdom. It was founded as a new university in 1992 from the existing Trent Polytechnic , however it can trace its roots back to 1843 with the establishment of the Nottingham Government School of Design...
as part of a club night held in the university's Student Union
Student union
Student union may refer to:* Students' union, or student government in the U.S., a student organization at many colleges and universities dedicated to student governance...
building.
Recent career
Derrick Evans lives with his wife & youngest daughter in St Ann, JamaicaSaint Ann Parish, Jamaica
Saint Ann is the largest parish in Jamaica. It is situated on the north coast of the island, in the county of Middlesex, roughly halfway between the eastern and western ends of the island. It is often called 'the Garden Parish of Jamaica' on account of its natural beauty...
, dividing his time between Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
and the UK. In addition to his media, motivational and fitness work, Evans and his family own and operate H'Evans Scent, an ecotourism resort, and PaintSplat, Jamaica's first paintball operation.
Mr Motivator appeared at the 2010 Bestival
Bestival
Bestival is a four-day music festival held at the Robin Hill country park on the Isle of Wight, England. It has been held annually in late summer since 2004. The event is organized by DJ and record producer Rob da Bank and is an off-shoot of his Sunday Best record label and club nights. The initial...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
as a special guest on the main stage. He performed a fitness routine whilst encouraging the crowd to join in and generally increase the amount of exercise they do and their enjoyment of doing it.
On 4 December 2008 it was announced that Evans would be returning to GMTV
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
in 2009 as part of their new keep-fit campaign. This news led to Evans meeting the former British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
, in promotion of the NHS
National Health Service
The National Health Service is the shared name of three of the four publicly funded healthcare systems in the United Kingdom. They provide a comprehensive range of health services, the vast majority of which are free at the point of use to residents of the United Kingdom...
Change4Life
Change4Life
Change4Life is a public health programme in the United Kingdom which began in January 2009, organised by the Department of Health. The campaign aims to encourage people in Britain to lead healthier lives, using the slogan "eat well, move more, live longer"...
campaign. Evans will also soon be releasing his autobiography, which will chronicle his story of growing up in Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
, rising to stardom on British television, and beyond.
Charity work
In 2007 Mr Motivator presented Move It For MS, an exercise DVD for people with multiple sclerosisMultiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
produced by the MS Trust. He described working with people with MS
Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory disease in which the fatty myelin sheaths around the axons of the brain and spinal cord are damaged, leading to demyelination and scarring as well as a broad spectrum of signs and symptoms...
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."
In 2009 Derrick Evans started supporting Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Breakthrough Breast Cancer
Breakthrough Breast Cancer is a United Kingdom charity committed to fighting breast cancer through research, campaigning and education. Its vision is "to work for a future free from the fear of breast cancer".-History:...
joining the Breakthrough Running Club as a celebrity expert, helping motivate runners of all standards http://www.breakthrough.org.uk/running.
On the 12th June 2009 Mr Motivator 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.
Personal life
Mr Motivator is a lifelong supporter of the English football team Bristol Rovers.External links
- MrMotivator.com Derrick Evans official site