Duncan Walker Bannatyne, OBE (born 2 February 1949)[1] is a Scottish entrepreneur, philanthropist, and author.

[2] In 1964, after a few weeks working for a local cabinet-maker he joined the Royal Navy, initially enlisting for twelve years as a junior second class engineering mechanic (stoker) at RNTE Shotley near Ipswich, better known as the boys' training establishment HMS Ganges.

He served in the Navy for several years including a spell on the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle, before throwing an officer off a boat landing jetty in Scotland and receiving a dishonourable discharge.

With Jersey's difficult business climate for outsiders, at age 29, Bannatyne and his wife moved to Stockton-on-Tees in North East England.

[4] The Bannatyne Group is now the largest independent chain of health clubs in the United Kingdom with 69 sites.

[11] He joined other celebrities including Britt Ekland, Henry Blofeld, John Altman, Susie Blake, and Barbara Dickson.

[12] He has funded several projects over a ten-year period in Romania, including Casa Bannatyne in Târgu-Mureş, a hospice for orphans with HIV and AIDS in which he invested £80,000.

[13] On 19 May 2008, Bannatyne added his support to the launch of the Geared for Giving Campaign at the House of Commons to encourage UK business leaders to set up and promote a Workplace Giving scheme to benefit UK registered charities with tax effective donations through employees' pay.

The charity runs the annual health awareness campaign – helping people who want to stop smoking.

[20] In April 2015, one week after signing a letter to The Daily Telegraph supporting the Conservatives in the upcoming general election, he reversed his position and pledged his vote to Labour due to Labour leader Ed Miliband's "courage" in promising to scrap non-domiciled tax status.

[27] Bannatyne was awarded an honorary doctorate of science by Glasgow Caledonian University on 5 July 2006 for services to business and charity.

A second party was held in the North East of England and was headlined by UK soul singer Beverley Knight and featured Chesney Hawkes, with the festivities occurring in a converted warehouse in Darlington, County Durham.

[28][29] He openly discussed having had cosmetic surgery under his eyes on The Graham Norton Show;[30] had an acting role in the Tyne Tees Television comedy pilot Girl's Club where amongst other actors, he performed alongside the actress Georgia Taylor.