TV viewers will see Examiner columnist Terry George go undercover tonight for Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire programme.

Multi-millionaire Terry spent 10 days living in a caravan in Penzance doing minimum-wage jobs for the reality show, which is on air tonight at 9pm.

The 42-year-old worked in an old people’s home, a chip shop and delivered meals on wheels.

Like other millionaires on the show, he had to keep his wealth a secret while he searched for deserving people to benefit from a share of £30,000 of his own money.

He said: “They stuck me in a caravan in Cornwall, but I quite liked it.“It was rough in terms of having to live on a minimum wage. I wasn’t allowed to take any money, they even took my Platinum American Express card away.

“I had to beg and borrow tea bags, milk, bread and butter from my caravan site neighbours.”

The lifestyle was far removed from Terry’s normal life at his £3m Stainland home, where he lives with civil partner Michael Rothwell.Examiner readers will know that the former DJ loves the luxuries wealth brings – travel, celebrity-spotting, glitz and glamour.However, he was not born into a life of luxury and is no stranger to hard work.

He grew up in Bramley and his family were so poor that at one point they went without electric for two years.He made his £20m fortune through entrepreneurial talent and hard work and now owns a string of businesses, including Leeds bar Fibre and club Mission, gay life magazine Bent and the 118 GAY directory service.

He also runs non-profit tribute website www.gonetoosoon.co.uk

Terry says he soon got used to a more humble lifestyle. He said: “People may think I live the high life with beautiful people all the time. But I did the hard work and clocked off like everyone else.“I think I am quite grounded really and I am pleased I came across as myself.

"At the end of the 10 days, I didn't want to go to the five-star hotel the crew had arranged for me, I just wanted to stay in my caravan and chat to the people I got to know.

"I loved the meals on wheels, but the chippy was hard graft and the care work was mentally challenging.

“I really admire people who do jobs like that. My sister is a care worker on the minimum wage and it made me value what she does and realise how special she is.”

Terry had a favourite resident at the home, Henry Cooper, who died several weeks ago.

Terry said: “I saw a picture of him as a strong younger man and there I was having to feed him.

“I went back to see how the money had been spent and we took the residents out. He wanted me to go back again.

“It was really nice to make that bit of difference to someone’s life.

”Terry was approached out of the blue by Channel 4 to take part in the programme.He admits to being sceptical at first, but was moved after watching a DVD of the first series and decided to take part. He said it had been a rewarding experience.

He said: “When you give money to charity it can be a faceless organisation, but giving money to people who never expected it was priceless.”

Terry donated money to the care home to provide a bus for residents’ trips. He also gave money to a young care worker, struggling to juggle her job and motherhood, and helped out the owners of the chip shop, who had run the business while caring for their disabled daughter, despite one of them being ill with cancer.