Deborah Meaden, the formidable businesswoman and stalwart, owes much of her success to the unwavering support of one man behind the scenes – her husband.
Since joining the show in 2006, Deborah has become one of the show’s most enduring figures, making her mark on screens by investing in a diverse array of ventures, from innovative beach towels to chic fashion labels.
Yet, it’s not just budding entrepreneurs who benefit from her backing; at home, she enjoys the steadfast support of her husband Paul. The couple first crossed paths around 1985 through her family’s enterprise, Weststar Holidays, where he was employed.
Their initial romance faced a brief hiatus, but after Deborah’s return from Venezuela, they reunited when she was back in London. Their love rekindled, leading to their marriage in 1993.
In a heartfelt interview with The Guardian, Deborah lavished praise on her spouse, dubbing him “the most competent man in the world” and shared insights into their journey together and their eventual walk down the aisle, reports .
Deborah has opened up about her relationship over the years (Image: Instagram/deborahmeaden)
She explained: “It just works. Listen, everybody goes through ups and downs. But there was never a point at which… no, that’s not ‘true’. We split up before we got married.
“He wanted to get married and I absolutely didn’t. We used to have those circular arguments, him saying, ‘but why won’t you get married?’ And me saying, ‘what’s the point, we’re gonna stay together for the rest of our lives?’ – ‘if that’s right then Deborah, why don’t we just get married?’ You know, we’d go round and round in circles.
“I still say to this day, he made me, he forced me. I was literally standing there outside the church, saying, ‘I’m doing this for Paul’. He knows this! But I also say, and he knows this, too, that it’s the best thing I ever did.”
Over three decades since they said their vows, Paul continues to surprise Deborah with romantic gestures. After her stint on in 2013, Paul secretly took dancing lessons so they could enjoy the ballroom together.
The TV personality detailed getting married to Paul (Image: Getty Images)
The entrepreneur revealed a personal passion for dancing, sharing that her love for dance led them to Buenos Aires to master the Argentine Tango.
Speaking about the sweet gesture her husband made, she added: “As a result of that he grew to love dancing, we both love dancing, we went off to Buenos Aires to learn Argentine Tango and now we both dance for four hours a week. It’s a lovely thing because we all have busy lives. Just being face to face with your partner for four hours of your week.”
In other news, the Dragons’ Den celebrity shared a quirky detail about her domestic habits. She confessed in an interview with The Telegraph in 2011: “I hate cleaning so as a student I used to work in a bar at night in order to pay someone to clean my flat.
“I’ve never told anyone that, I still don’t do any domestic chores; my husband Paul is in charge. It sounds terrible, doesn’t it?”
Deborah joined Dragons’ Den in series three back in 2006 (Image: BBC)
Further endearing herself to fans, Deborah, who boasts an array of pets ranging from cats to horses and rescue animals, expressed her deep fondness for creatures great and small in an intimate chat with The Daily Mail in 2008.
She said: “There’s something in me that thinks, if I can, ‘I’ll give these guys a good life’. We’ve got two dogs, too, but they’re definitely Paul’s.
“I’m not a dog person. They require too much attention. I don’t like anything with too much dependency. Children are very dependent, which is probably why we never had them.”
Dragon’s Den is available to watch on iPlayer.