TONIGHT marks the start of the 15th series of The Apprentice, with 16 candidates battling it out to win £250,000 and the chance to become Lord Alan Sugar’s latest business partner. But where are the previous winners now?
15 years?
Time flies. Former London Underground manager Tim Campbell won the inaugural series with his anti-wrinkle device, but later broke ties with Lord Sugar to start his own male grooming firm. Now 43, he has battled back to health after being diagnosed with testicular cancer and now runs his own digital marketing agency.
Who won last year?
Yorkshire businesswoman Sian Gabbidon was crowned The Apprentice with her pricey ‘reversible swimwear’ designs that have been sold by online retailer, ASOS, but it’s a competitive business. She hosted the Reality TV awards at the weekend.
The Reality TV awards?
I didn’t watch either.
Who’s the most successful winner?
Quirky inventor Tom Pellereau. Now 40, he was the winner of series seven in 2011 with his ‘S-shaped’ nail file range, said to make filing easier, especially on your non-dominant hand. So far, more than five million Stylfiles have been sold worldwide. He still works with Lord Sugar and his other inventions include the StylPro, which cleans and dries make-up brushes.
Any others leading the way?
Series 10 winner Mark Wright started social marketing business, Climb Online, which is projected to turn over £10million this year.
Didn’t Ricky Martin win?
Not the Puerto Rican Livin’ la Vida Loca singer, but the former wrestler of the same name who set up his own specialist recruitment company and who now returns to The Apprentice interviews to grill the last few candidates.
A plumber won in 2015?
Lord Sugar invested the six-figure sum into Joseph Valente’s plumbing business, but the pair parted two years ago, saying they were still on friendly terms, as Lord Sugar said he would “still be on hand to offer any help and advice required”, as Valente said he was taking full control of the ImpraGas business.
So who is in the running this year?
A lovely bunch of quiet, unassuming candidates…oh wait, no, it’s actually the usual bunch of cut-throat competitors who will pledge to give “110%” and would probably knock over their granny to get what they want. (Although they always seem so nice on the after-show so who knows?) Among those in the fray will be a para athlete, an artisan baker and a librarian.
There’s a new after-show host?
The comic companion post-show discussion programme, The Apprentice: You’re Fired! was most recently fronted by Rhod Gilbert, who has opted to focus on his live stand-up tour, but comedian Tom Allen is the new frontman, saying he is “excited and humbled to be joining this wonderful” show.
Some things never change?
All contestants still do the taxi walk of shame on day one of the filming process, never knowing if the footage will make it to the screen or if this year, they will be told by Lord Sugar: ‘You’re hired!’
MAUREEN SUGDEN
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