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The Apprentice winners: Where are they now?
6 January 2022, 15:30
Where are the winners of The Apprentice UK and what happened to them after the show? Here's what we know...
The Apprentice has been giving us tears, bust ups and dramatic boardroom firings for 15 years.
Now it is back on our screens, after the BBC was forced to postpone the series in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Finally, we can get our fix of the brutal competition as Lord Alan Sugar, Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell welcome 16 new candidates to the boardroom.
So, as we get to know the business hopefuls, let’s see what all the previous winners are doing now.
Carina Lepore (2019)
Carina won The Apprentice 2019, beating 15 other contestants to claim the top prize.
Lord Sugar gave her a £250,000 investment in her artisan bakery to rival Greggs called ‘Dough Bake House.’
And two years down the line, it looks like things are going well for Carina as her business is very much booming.
Alongside her bakery in Herne Hill, the businesswoman has now opened another in Beckenham, with Lord Sugar himself even attending the socially distanced opening in September.
Sian Gabbidon (2018)
Sian pipped nut milk developer Camilla Ainsworth to the top spot with her reversible swimwear range.
And her partnership with Lord Sugar seems to have been a success so far as Sian has expanded her business into party clothes and lounge wear.
Celebs often feature on the company’s website, including stars from The Only Way is Essex and Love Island.
Sian also launched her very own Apprentice-based podcast last year, and often attends glitzy events.
Sarah Lynn and James White (2017)
Lord Sugar gave the prize to two people for the first time in The Apprentice history in 2017.
Lynn ran a sweet company, while James owned an IT recruitment company.
Since their joint victory, Sarah has continued to run ‘Sweets in the City’ which seems to be going from strength to strength. She is also busy being a mum of two, sharing two sons with husband Mikey.
Meanwhile, James was reported to have suffered a £30,000 loss in the first six months of winning the show, but things are seemingly back on track.
By the looks of his Instagram, James spends a lot of time at the gym and hanging out with his friends.
Alana Spencer (2016)
Welsh businesswoman Alana Spencer won the 2016 series with her cake making company, Ridiculously Rich by Alana.
Alan Sugar is no longer part of the business and they parted ways in 2019.
According to The Sun, a TV insider said: “Alana has now bought back all of Lord Sugar’s shares in Ridiculously Rich and she is now the sole owner and director of the firm."
Her luxury, hand-made cake company now supports almost 50 franchisees across the country and she even has a YouTube baking channel.
Alana is also still friends with her former Apprentice co-stars including Grainne McCoy, Frances Bishop and Courtney Wood.
Joseph Valente (2015)
Joseph won over Lord Sugar after creating his own plumbing business from scratch as a teenager.
Lord Sugar left the company ImpraGas in 2018 after Joseph bought back all his shares.
Earlier this year, Joseph sold the boiler installation business, despite reports stating it had gone bust.
The star recently opened up about reaching a low point with his mental health after the sale, telling Metro.co.uk online trolls left him depressed.
After bouncing back, Joseph is now the CEO of his company Trade Mastermind, which gives advice and training to businesses in the construction industry.
He also penned his own book which was a bestseller on Amazon called Billionaire Boardroom.
Mark Wright (2014)
Mark used his investment money to start digital marketing company Climb Online.
The Sun previously reported that the business was set to turn over an impressive £5m at the end of its second year.
Mark recently announced he has become an official UK citizen after moving from Australia in 2012.
Leah Totton (2013)
Irish doctor Leah Totten used Sugar’s investment to open a cosmetic clinic offering bespoke facials, Botox and wrinkle reduction.
Seven years later, and business is booming and Leah now has sites in central London, Moorgate and Loughton, Essex.
The business reportedly turns over £1.6 million a year, and Lord Sugar has visited the clinic several times.
In 2016, it was rumoured that Leah was briefly dating fellow winner Mark Wright, but this was unconfirmed.
Ricky Martin (2012)
The Apprentice fans will remember Ricky from the 2012 series who was a part time professional wrestler, as well as an entrepreneur.
He now runs Hyper Recruitment Solutions and speaks about his experiences in business at schools and conferences.
Ricky is also a dad to two children with his wife Gemma, with the pair welcoming daughter Olivia in August 2020.
Tom Pellereau (2011)
Inventor Tom Pellereau is an all-time Apprentice favourite after winning with his idea for a curved nail file.
This is now stocked by major supermarkets, and Tom is constantly coming up with new ideas.
On his website Stylideas, you can find reusable makeup wipes, gel nail polish remover sets and makeup brushes.
Stella English (2010)
Investment banker English became Lord Sugar’s apprentice back in 2010.
After working for the business tycoon for 12 months, Stella brought a constructive dismissal case against Lord Sugar, claiming she was forced to resign.
The tribunal dismissed the case and Stella later went on to appear on Daybreak to slam the show.
Speaking to Lorraine Kelly and Aled Jones, the mum-of-two said her marriage had even broken down because of the court case.
“I don’t regret going on the show because I won The Apprentice and I’m very proud of that,” she said at the time.
“But I do regret obviously what I’ve had to go through and what my family have had to go through, and I’m very sad the repercussions that it’s had.
“However I will stand by it, I’ve spoken the truth and I’ve stood up for myself and I‘ve had to pay for it dearly but I will never apologise for it.”
Yasmina Siadatan (2009)
Yasmina Siadatan went on to work for Alan Sugar's Amstrad medical supply division after winning in 2009.
After a year working there she went on to have two children, before being employed by Dragon’s Den judge James Caan at his private equity firm.
She also ran as a Conservative candidate for council and in 2016 started working as Head of Marketing at a fintech firm.
Lee McQueen (2008)
The Apprentice viewers might remember Lee for his dinosaur impression and for lying on his CV during his series.
But after he still managed to win, Lee stayed at Amstrad until 2010, when he left to start his own sales training company, Raw Talent Academy.
He also recently launched company Phoenix51, which is a technology platform ‘enabling data driven decisions & bringing people assessment into the digital age.’
Simon Ambrose (2007)
Simon was assigned to Sugar’s property division, Amsprop in 2007 after winning the £100,000 job.
He stayed there until 2010, but now runs a string of bars and restaurants in London, as well as chairing the London Contemporary Orchestra.
Michelle Dewberry (2006)
Michelle worked with Alan Sugar at Amstrad for 11 months after becoming the first woman to win the show.
She then left to work as a self-employed consultant and regular pundit on Sky News.
40-year-old Michelle recently welcomed her first child at 31 weeks.
Taking to Instagram, she shared a string of photos of the tot along with a caption about her complicated pregnancy.
She penned: “I am super proud and happy to share the news that I am now a Mummy!! My beautiful little man was brought into this world way too early (31 weeks) following further complications.”
Tim Campbell (2005)
Tim was the first ever Apprentice winner and worked with Lord Sugar at Amstrad for two years before leaving.
He has since founded charity The Bright Ideas Trust which aims to help young entrepreneurs start businesses.
Tim even received an MBE in 2012 for Services to Enterprise Culture.
In 2016, he co-founded Marketing Runners Ltd which is a bespoke digital marketing agency in London.
And now he's gone full circle and is back on the show to give Lord Sugar a helping hand for the 2022 series.
