In tribute of the man who peels his face off and becomes David Tennant: here are 5 little-known facts about Sir Richard Branson! (With thanks to Virgin Unite and Forbes.)

Also, for the record: I would.

Things you may not know about Arr’ Sir Richard (Branson!)

Jane, who likes to think she’s the troublemaker on the team quite literally, is one of Sir Richard Branson’s biggest fans. Aside from the heroic rags-to-riches punk rock tale that’s brought him his fortune; an island, advertising rights in which he gets to carry beautiful women and run races with Usain Bolt – there’s actually a little more to the bearded lion. (And spiritual, hopefully not biological, father of Red.)

Here are 5 little-known facts about the man who’s in our adverts.

Virgin Interplanetary is a thing.

As well as Virgin Galactic, he’s just registered the name ‘Virgin Interplantary’ – for those out-of-this world flights he’s planning for our future kids’ holidays!

He runs The Elders

Sir Richard isn’t that old, but he did set up a worldwide human rights advocacy group called ‘The Elders’ with the late great Madiba, Nelson Mandela in 2007.

He loved running Virgin Records so much more than selling it

While selling Virgin Records, Richard cried during every contractual meeting and the handover.  Whether it was with sadness at kissing goodbye to his first company, or for getting his first ever billion: we’ll never know. I like to think it’s for the former…

Sir Richard Branson is a Trekkie

Sir Richard is an out and out Trekkie. Not that he cares about the label: it just meant he got to invite his hero William Shatner on the first Virgin Galactic flight called ‘VSS Enterprise’. GEEKS RULE

He is dyslexic

He’s dyslexic. Lysdexic.  Sorry. Dyslecix. Argh (I am too though)! But he is, and yet – it’s never stopped him.  It certainly didn’t stop him being the first man to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans in a huge red hot-air balloon.