Deborah Meaden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Deborah Meaden
Meaden after a BBC's Dragons' Den appearance, 2011
Born	Deborah Sonia Charles (1959-02-11) 11 February 1959 (age 66) Taunton, Somerset, England
Nationality	British
Education	Trowbridge High School
Alma mater	Brighton Technical College
Occupation	Businesswoman
Known for	Dragons' Den Strictly Come Dancing
Spouse(s)	Paul Farmer ​ (m. 1993)​

Deborah Meaden (born 11 February 1959) is a famous British businesswoman and TV star. She used to run a big family holiday company. Later, she bought out the business herself. She is most well-known for being an investor, or 'Dragon', on the BBC TV show Dragons' Den.

Deborah Meaden's Early Life

Deborah Sonia Charles was born in Taunton, Somerset, England. When she was young, her parents divorced. Her mother moved Deborah and her older sister Gail to Brightlingsea in Essex.

When Deborah was seven, her mother married Brian Meaden. Deborah says he was like a true father to her. She went to Godolphin School for a short time. Then she went to Trowbridge High School for Girls. She left school when she was 16 years old.

Deborah Meaden's Career Journey

After leaving school, Deborah studied business at Brighton Technical College. Her first job was as a sales model in a fashion house. At 19, she moved to Italy. There, she started a company that sold glass and ceramics. This company sold products to big shops like Harvey Nichols. But the business closed after about 18 months.

Deborah then bought one of the first Stefanel textile shops in the UK. This shop was in the West Country. She sold her share of the business two years later. After that, she ran several successful businesses. These included leisure and retail companies. She even ran a Prize Bingo game at Butlins in Minehead for a while.

Joining the Family Business

In 1988, Deborah joined her family's business. She helped run their amusement arcade operations. In 1992, she joined Weststar Holidays. This was a family holiday park company based in Exeter, Devon. Most of its main sites were in South West England.

In 1999, Deborah took over the company. She bought most of the shares in Weststar Holidays. When she sold the company six years later, Weststar was providing holidays for over 150,000 people each year. In 2005, she sold part of Weststar in a deal worth £33 million. In 2007, she sold her remaining share of the company for about £19 million.

New Ventures and Investments

In 2009, Deborah bought Fox Brothers. This is a textile mill in Wellington, Somerset, that started in 1772. She bought it with another shareholder, Douglas Cordeaux.

She also worked with BBC conductor Charles Hazlewood. They created 'Play the Field'. This was a weekend of classical music held on Charles's farm in Somerset. In 2011, Deborah launched 'The Merchant Fox'. This is an online shop that sells luxury goods made in Britain.

Deborah Meaden on Television

Deborah Meaden is very well known for her TV appearances.

Dragons' Den

Deborah is famous for being an investor, or 'Dragon', on the BBC Two show Dragons' Den. She joined the show in 2006 for its third series. She was the only female investor for a while. Later, other women joined the show too. By 2021, she had invested in 63 businesses through the show. Her total investments were worth over £3.3 million.

Strictly Come Dancing

Deborah also took part in the eleventh series of Strictly Come Dancing. This is a popular dancing show on BBC One. She started the show on 7 September 2013. Her professional dance partner was Robin Windsor. She was voted off the show on 26 October.

Other TV Appearances

Radio Work

Deborah co-hosts The Big Green Money Show on BBC Radio 5 live. This show started in March 2022. It talks about how businesses and people are responding to climate change.

Books by Deborah Meaden

Deborah published her book Common Sense Rules in May 2009. In 2023, she released Why Money Matters. This book is for children aged six to nine. It has illustrations by Hao Hao. The next year, Deborah Meaden Talks Money came out. This book is for young adults.

Other Activities

In 2009, Deborah appeared in a short film. This film promoted Somerset to businesses. She is also a member of the Council of Ambassadors for the World Wildlife Fund.

She works with the Dogs Trust charity. She is also an ambassador for the Marine Conservation Society. Deborah is an ambassador for the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals. This charity helps dogs and horses after they retire from police, fire, prison, and border force work.

She became an ambassador for the Tusk Trust in 2010. This organization helps protect wildlife in Africa. She joined their board of trustees in 2016.

Deborah Meaden's Personal Life

Deborah met her husband, Paul Farmer, in 1985. He was working at Weststar during his university break. They separated for a while. But after Deborah traveled to Venezuela, they got back together. They married in 1993.

The couple does not have children. They live in an old house near Langport in Somerset. They share their home with many animals. Deborah bought the house in 2006 after selling her Weststar Holidays business. The house has been carefully renovated using materials from its original time period.

Deborah's favorite film is The Shawshank Redemption. Her favorite holiday places are in Central and South America. She enjoys watching rugby union. In 2020, Deborah started eating a plant-based diet. In 2022, Deborah shared that she had a type of skin cancer in 2015. Her makeup artist noticed a small spot on her face.

Honours and Awards

Deborah Meaden has received several honorary degrees. In July 2010, she was given an honorary degree from the University of Exeter Business School. She also received one from Staffordshire University in the same month.

In July 2013, she received an honorary degree from Keele University. In July 2014, Bath Spa University also gave her an honorary degree. She is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.