Jeremy Norman

Jeremy Norman (born 18 May 1947) is a British entrepreneur, whose ventures have included Burke's Peerage, Mayfair's Embassy nightclub, the gay 'ultradisco' Heaven, the clubs Embargo and Leopard Lounge on Fulham Broadway, the Power Station gym in Chelsea, in partnership with Richard Branson, and Soho Gyms. He is also an author, television presenter, and journalist, and has had many charitable commitments.

Early life and education Jeremy Gordon Norman was born in Marylebone, Greater London, in 1947. His parents were Wing Commander Roland Frank Holdway Norman and Muriel Johnson, known as Peggy, daughter of Percy Johnson. They were living together in Marylebone in 1939 and were married in 1944. His father died in 1958, aged 62. After Cambridge, he became a self-employed entrepreneur. He continued in this role until 1983, his fellow directors including Patrick, Lord Lichfield, and John Brooke-Little, Richmond Herald of Arms. Under his chairmanship new volumes were published on royal families, Irish genealogy, and country houses of the British Isles.

Norman's first nightclub, established in 1978, was the Embassy Club in Old Bond Street, which has been called "London's first modern New York-style nightclub". Other directors were the fashion designer Michael Fish and Derek Johns, a picture dealer and director of Sotheby's. Norman sold the Embassy to Lady Edith Foxwell. In 1979, he created an entirely new form of club, the ultradisco Heaven, near Charing Cross, which "quickly established itself as the centre of London gay nightlife" and became Europe's largest and "the world's most famous gay nightclub". and Leopard Lounge on Fulham Broadway (1989–92). His other businesses included Pasta Pasta, a manufacturer and retailer of fresh pasta and sauces, with Derek Johns launched in 1984.

Writer and television presenter In 2006, Norman described many encounters and experiences from his life in his autobiography No Make-up: Straight Tales from a Queer Life (2006). Matthew Parris wrote about this in The Times, calling it "A marvellous book. Startlingly candid, unblushingly funny about wealth, privilege. and the pursuit of fun. Mr. Norman … paints an unforgettable picture of gay life in an age of official prohibition." The follow-up, Two Men in a Boat: Illyrian Shores, is a "story of a romantic voyage in the wake of the Venetians... from Cofu to Venice."

Norman's "Two Men in a Boat" books developed into a 25-part Out TV television series, under the same title, which documented their odysseys and is narrated by the two men and their expert guests speaking about the history, archaeology, art, natural history, and landscape of the many places they visit. 2002–2017

Personal life Norman has been in a relationship with Derek Frost since 1978. They became civil partners on 21 December 2005, the first day the law of the United Kingdom made this possible. They currently reside in Malta.

Books and publications No Make-Up, Straight Tales from a Queer Life, Elliott & Thompson Limited (6 Oct 2006) Two Men in a Boat – Chasing Spring Two men in a Boat – Illyrian Shores

Films and Documentaries Two Men in a Boat – Chasing Spring Two men in a Boat – Illyrian Shores