Getty Mike Ashley has been described as Britain's version of Howard Hughes
LONDON - Eccentric British billionaire Mike Ashley is in the headlines again after purchasing iconic department chain House of Fraser in a £90 million deal.
The iconic department store, which employs 17,5000 people across the UK, had been at risk of toppling for several months and was rescued hours after falling into administration by Sports Direct, the company Ashley owns.
So who is he? The media regularly depicts him as a beer-swilling party animal. In recent years, he has been accused in court of reneging on a pub bet that would have cost him £15 million, cleaning out a restaurant of its entire supply of £3,000-a-bottle red wine, and getting so drunk at a business meeting that he vomited into a fireplace.
Although his companies are the subject of daily headlines, Ashley the person is still something of an enigma. He rarely gives interviews and despises the limelight.
He can also down a pint in less than 10 seconds, loves to gamble, and isn't afraid of taking his shirt off. He sometimes uses a plastic shopping bag as a briefcase. Scroll down for the life of Mike Ashley.