14 January 2023 , 18:45
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She may be a multi-millionaire, but the Den’s greenest Dragon loves helping the planet by buying second-hand clothes.
Deborah Meaden says she would rather raid charity shops than buy designer outfits brand new.
The BBC business guru, whose co-stars call her Swampy because of her passion for sustainable living, admitted: “I buy second-hand clothes. People do double-takes when they see me in charity shops.”
The 63-year-old, who is thought to be worth £40million, also told how she and husband Paul are keen to keep the energy bill low at their Somerset mansion.
Deborah said: “We only switched our heating on in mid-December because it was -5C. We held out for a long time. I’m an absolute nightmare.
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Deborah in the new series of Dragons' Den (BBC)“I go around switching all the lights off.”
Deborah, who is currently appearing in the 20th series of hit BBC show Dragons’ Den – where entrepreneurs pitch business ideas to millionaire investors – told how former dragon Theo Paphitis nicknamed her Swampy after the eco-activist.
Deborah buys her clothes in charity shops (BBC/Andrew Farrington)
Deborah has been known as the Den’s greenest Dragon (WireImage)But she said: “That was nearly 17 years ago when environmental issues weren’t commonly discussed. Now, everybody in the Den talks about sustainability, which pleases me.”
Deborah isn’t the only big name to support charity shops.
Sir Paul McCartney once bought several books from an Oxfam store in North London, and Liam Gallagher and Dame Helen Mirren are among the stars who donate clothes.