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. Following the rise in popularity of his fitness sessions, he released a number of fitness and workout videos in the 1990s. Early life Evans was born on 15 November 1952 in Manchester Parish, Jamaica, to a single mother who gave him away when he was three months old. His adoptive father, Stanford Rose, was a farmer on a small farm in Jamaica. Evans said he was sexually abused as a child. His adoptive family moved in 1961 to Leicester in the UK where his father worked as a labourer in a knitwear factory. His mother, Teresa, left the UK after two years because of the climate but his adoptive father stayed until Evans was 17. Career Pre-fitness career Evans' first job at 17 was working for the East Midlands Gas Board in the customer complaints department. He sold costume jewellery in high street shops and became financially secure. Origins of Mr Motivator 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. 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. 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. 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 is reported to have sold the most fitness DVDs in the UK. Evans left GMTV