Do our tums look big in these?

A blonde acquaintance listensto the sound of stretching waistbands on the beach
13 April 2012

As the boss of one of Britain's biggest clothing empires, Sir Philip Green is an undisputed retail giant.

But photographed sunbathing topless on a beach in Barbados, the 54-year-old businessman is, it seems, a giant in more ways than one.

• A thinner Winner shows off his body in Barbados

Sporting just a pair of garish, lizard-print swimming shorts, the balding billionaire revealed a tanned but portly physique during his Christmas Caribbean break.

And seemingly unaware of his own impressive girth, Sir Philip even had the audacity to pat his male friend's equally protruding belly.

Accompanied by his 57-year-old wife, Tina, Sir Philip cooled off from the 30 degree Celsius Bajan heat with a leisurely dip in the sea.

From here he plodded back to his sunbed for a relaxing lie-down. But restless within minutes, retail's first knight spent the next thirty minutes chatting on his mobile phone.

"As he wandered around in his baggy, animal print Bermuda shorts, you never would have guessed that Philip was one of the fashion industry's most powerful and important men," said a fellow holiday maker.

"He looked just like any other sweet, podgy middle-aged chap and, like most men, he seemed completely unaware of his bulging belly.

"He made absolutely no effort to suck it in and spent much of his time jokingly prodding his friend's tummy."

However, Green, who is worth a reported £4.9 billion, is at least well placed should he be looking for any dieting advice.

The entrepreneur recently signed up super svelte Kate Moss in a £3 million deal which will see the supermodel design a clothing range for Topshop, part of Green's Arcadia empire.

When not enjoying luxury holidays in Barbados - where Hugh Grant, Michael Winner and Simon Cowell are all regulars - Green resides at a private suite at a top London hotel during the week.

At weekends he commutes in his £7 million jet to the family penthouse in Monte Carlo.

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