PODCAST: On the Marie Curie Couch with Derrick Evans MBE

Derrick Evans MBE, also known as Mr Motivator, began teaching exercise classes in London in the 1980s. He rose to fame in 1993 with regular appearances on GMTV where, dressed in his trademark colourful Lycra, he encouraged the nation to exercise. Derrick was made an MBE in 2020 for services to health and fitness. In this episode of On the Marie Curie Couch, Derrick tells Jason what it was like to care for his sister-in-law while she was dying, and opens up about how he's handled the deaths and illnesses of many of those closest to him.

"We can always say, 'I care.' It's so easy to say, it just rolls off the tongue. But until you physically, mentally, emotionally have to care for someone, you don't know what caring is about. You'll be upstairs and she's downstairs in a special hospital bed. You don't really sleep. You have to leave the doors open. Every single movement you hear, every sound you hear, you're thinking, 'Where's that coming from? Is it downstairs?'"

"The greatest gift that you can give yourself, your family, your colleagues, is an independent, healthier you. If you can somehow maintain your health and do all those things that just add quality to your life, that's a great place to be. That's why every one of us, no matter how tough it is, has got to try and move as much as we can."

"I've got this vision of me at 114. I've got my Lycra on, it no longer fits. I've got my Zimmer frame and I'm still going, 'Push your right hand up, your left hand up.'"

Tap the link near the top of this page to listen to Derrick's chat with Jason. Alternatively, listen to or download it via Acast, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you'd prefer, you can read a full transcript of the episode. Be sure to like and subscribe so you know when we’ve uploaded a new episode – there are more conversations coming soon.