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Andy Gatenby Biography: Age, Boxing Record, Acting Career and Business Ventures
Andy Gatenby is a British actor and businessman from Portsmouth who built a public profile in three separate careers: as an unbeaten professional boxer, as a contestant who reached the final of the BBC reality series Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week, and later as a screen actor and co-owner of a Hampshire gas, plumbing and heating company.
His path from the boxing ring to film sets and back into business, rather than any single achievement, is what has drawn repeated trade-press and regional-newspaper coverage of him.
Profile
| Full name | Andrew Michael Gatenby |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Andy Gatenby |
| Born | 9 April 1987 |
| Birthplace | Gütersloh, Germany |
| Nationality | British |
| Residence | Portsmouth, Hampshire, England |
| Occupation | Actor; former professional boxer; gas, plumbing and heating business owner |
| Spouse | Kirsty Gatenby |
| Professional boxing record | 6 wins, 0 losses, 0 draws |
| Years active | Boxing: 2013–2014; Acting: 2018–present |
As of 23 September 2026, Gatenby is 39 years old.
Boxing Career
Gatenby began boxing at the age of 14 and turned professional in Portsmouth, fighting under a licence held with BoxRec, the sport’s official record-keeper.
He won all six of his professional bouts between February 2013 and September 2014, fighting mostly at venues in Hampshire and Essex, including two wins over Slovakian opponent Elemir Rafael and a stoppage win in his final contest.
He retired from boxing in October 2014 after a routine eye examination found lacerations that a specialist warned could lead to a detached retina if he kept fighting.
In an interview given to British Boxing News at the time, Gatenby said health was the deciding factor and that he did not want to risk his sight for a shot at a title. He credited his trainer, John Murray, and said the decision weighed heavily on his wife, Kirsty, as well as on him.
Professional Boxing Record
| Date | Opponent | Result | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 23 Feb 2013 | Igor Tsujev | Win | Fareham Leisure Centre, Fareham |
| 15 Jun 2013 | Delroy Spencer | Win | Pyramids Centre, Portsmouth |
| 21 Sep 2013 | Elemir Rafael | Win | Fareham Leisure Centre, Fareham |
| 30 Nov 2013 | Dan Carr | Win | Liquid & Envy Nightclub, Portsmouth |
| 15 Mar 2014 | Qasim Hussain | Win | Civic Hall, Grays |
| 20 Sep 2014 | Elemir Rafael | Win | Pyramids Centre, Portsmouth |
From the Ring to Television
After retiring from boxing, Gatenby took part in the 2015 series of the BBC Two reality show Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week, in which civilian contestants were put through selection-style exercises run by instructors from real special forces units.
He has said the toughest stage was the phase run by the Australian SAS, which involved 48 hours without food or sleep. He reached the final of the series before being withdrawn during an interrogation exercise run by British SAS instructors, who judged him to be showing signs of aggression.
Acting Career
Gatenby trained part-time at a London drama school for around two years while continuing to work, and began building an acting résumé from 2018.
His first credited screen role came that year, playing convicted American serial killer Cary Stayner in an episode of the Sky true-crime series World’s Most Evil Killers.
In 2019, production company Hereford Films announced he had joined the cast of The Krays: Marked for Death, a sequel to The Krays: Dead Man Walking, in the role of Leslie Payne, an associate of the Kray twins.
He made his feature-film debut in 2021 in the British crime thriller Nemesis, playing a henchman opposite Bruce Payne, Billy Murray and Julian Glover.
His daughter Lexi, then aged nine, also appeared in the film in her first major screen role. In 2022, Gatenby had a supporting part as Andre in Renegades, an ensemble British action thriller starring Lee Majors, Danny Trejo, Patsy Kensit and Nick Moran that went on general release in UK cinemas and on digital platforms.
He later appeared in the 2024 film Sunray: Fallen Soldier, and has a role in the crime film Card Dead, which was in production as of the most recent interviews he has given.
Business Career
Alongside acting, Gatenby has worked in the gas and heating trade since leaving school and has held Gas Safe registration for more than a decade.
He began trading independently as Gatenby Gas in 2017, offering domestic and commercial gas, plumbing and heating work in the Portsmouth area.
In May 2022, company records show the incorporation of Commercial Gas Engineers Southern Ltd, trading as CGE Southern, a Portsmouth-based gas, plumbing, heating and air-conditioning firm.
Gatenby has said he brought in Mark Legg, a director of the construction firm CDM Contractors, as a 50-50 business partner, a partnership reflected in Companies House filings that list both men as company directors. Gatenby now serves as Operations Director at CGE Southern, while his wife, Kirsty, is listed as the company’s owner on its trade-directory profile.
Gatenby has also founded Actor Publicist, a personal-branding and publicity service aimed at actors, and has acted as an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Portsmouth, where he speaks to students and founders about moving between careers.
Career Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 2013 | Turned professional boxer in Portsmouth |
| 2014 | Completed his boxing career unbeaten, then retired after an eye injury diagnosis |
| 2015 | Reached the final of BBC Two’s Special Forces: Ultimate Hell Week |
| 2017 | Began trading independently as a gas engineer under Gatenby Gas |
| 2018 | Played serial killer Cary Stayner in Sky’s World’s Most Evil Killers |
| 2019 | Cast as Leslie Payne in The Krays: Marked for Death |
| 2021 | Made his feature-film debut in Nemesis |
| 2022 | Co-founded CGE Southern and appeared in Renegades |
| 2024 | Appeared in Sunray: Fallen Soldier |
Personal Life
Gatenby is married to Kirsty Gatenby. He has spoken publicly about his children, including his daughter Lexi, who appeared alongside him in Nemesis and has said she hopes to continue acting.
FAQ
What is Andy Gatenby’s professional boxing record?
He retired unbeaten after six professional fights, all wins, fought between 2013 and 2014.
Why did Andy Gatenby stop boxing?
A routine eye examination found lacerations that doctors said put him at risk of a detached retina if he kept fighting, so he retired in 2014.
What is Andy Gatenby known for as an actor?
His best-known screen credits are the crime thriller Nemesis (2021) and the ensemble action film Renegades (2022), alongside earlier work including World’s Most Evil Killers and The Krays: Marked for Death.
Sources
- BoxRec — Andrew Gatenby professional record
- British Boxing News — Unbeaten Portsmouth super-bantamweight star Andy Gatenby retires
- Professional Heating & Plumbing Installer — In Profile: Andy Gatenby
- Yorkshire Evening Post — Professional Boxer Andy Gatenby’s Journey to Film Stardom
- The Hollywood News — Andy Gatenby Joins The Cast Of ‘Krays’ Movie Sequel
- The News, Portsmouth — Young Copnor actress lands first major film role in Nemesis
- CanvasRebel Magazine — Meet Andy Gatenby
- Bold Journey Magazine — Meet Andy Gatenby
- University of Portsmouth — Andy Gatenby, Entrepreneur in Residence
- Checkatrade — CGE Southern trade profile
- Endole — CGE Southern company record
- IMDb — Andy Gatenby
Last updated: 23 September 2026.
Zeez is the editor and founder of BioOrbit, where he researches and writes biographies of public figures from Nigeria and around the world. With 5 years of experience writing about news, entertainment, sports and politics, Zeez focuses on verified facts, clear sourcing and regular updates. Found an error? Report a correction.
