Showman, put in army in Ecuador, deserted (11)
I believe the answer is:
entertainer
'showman' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both people as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe they are linked in a way I don't understand?
'put in army in ecuador deserted' is the wordplay.
'put in' becomes 'enter'.
'army' becomes 'TA' (abbreviation for Territorial Army).
'deserted' says to hollow out the word (remove centre letters).
'ecuador' with its middle removed is 'er'.
'enter'+'ta'+'in'+'er'='ENTERTAINER'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for entertainer that I've seen before include "Variety artist" , "One who considers" , "he may have a stage career?" , "One providing amusement" , "comic perhaps" .)