Wayne Hemingway on Great British Menu
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Wayne Hemingway judges on Great British Menu, his career and Red or Dead legacy

He's on Great British Menu tonight!

Wayne Hemingway serves as a judge on Friday’s episode of Great British Menu on BBC Two.

But just who is Wayne exactly? And what is he best known for?

We take a look at Wayne’s design career and personal life below…

What is Wayne Hemingway famous for?

Wayne Hemingway MBE is a famous English designer and is the co-founder of fashion label Red or Dead.

On the Design Council Trustee Board, he also serves as a professor and academic doctor at several universities.

For example, he serves as a professor at Northumbria University and as a senior fellow at Regent’s University London.

He and his wife, Gerardine, started off as selling vintage and homemade clothes at Camden market.

Wayne Hemingway 2021
Wayne is a fashion and design trailblazer (Credit: SplashNews)

After proving to be a runaway success, they founded their own fashion label Red or Dead.

Later on he and Gerardine set up their own housing development company, HemingwayDesign.

His team went on to found the Vintage Festival and he also redesigned the historic Dreamland site in Margate.

Wayne regularly appears as a talking head and design expert on television shows.

You may have spotted him on the likes of The Wright Stuff, Celebrity Antiques Road Trip, Sunday Brunch and Loose Women.

Is Wayne Hemingway still part of Red or Dead?

Wayne is not believed to be associated with the Red or Dead label anymore. As he and his wife sold the company to Facia Group in 1995.

After the company collapsed the following year, it was then sold back to the Hemingways.

Wayne and Gerardine
Wayne and Gerardine (Credit: SplashNews)

But in 1998 they sold the brand again to the Pentland Group.

Red or Dead is still around and it has expanded to bicycles, perfume, eyewear and swimwear. It still designs shoes and clothes as well.

However, the brand definitely isn’t as fashionable as it was in its 1980s heyday. Back then, it was a celebrity fave, with the likes of Jason Donovan, Kylie Minogue and Bros all flaunting its wears.

Who is Wayne Hemingway’s wife?

Wayne’s wife Gerardine co-launched the majority of their business ventures. A talented seamstress she helped design and stitch many of Red or Dead’s original pieces.

And was astounded when within one month of the brand being in operation to receive an order from Macy’s in New York!

Gerardine is also involved in academics. She holds a Doctorate from Plymouth Uni, Lancaster Uni, Stafford and Regents University. And given that she dropped out of school at 15 – she’s certainly done remarkably well!

Now she predominantly works for HemingwayDesign. Wayne and Gerardine share four children and they’ve both been awarded MBEs for their contributions to British design.

When is Wayne Hemingway on Great British Menu?

Wayne is on Great British Menu on Friday May at 8.30 pm on BBC Two.

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In this episode two highest-scoring chefs from the North West will attempt to impress judge Wayne.

And don’t worry if you miss this one, as it will be on BBC iPlayer shortly after it airs tonight.

Will you be watching? Let us know on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor