The Apprentice: Who are the past winners of the reality TV business show?

Lord Alan Sugar has added another business to his ever-expanding portfolio after hiring fitness studio owner Rachel Woolford during series 18 of The Apprentice.

Leeds-based Woolford will receive £250,000 worth of investment in her boutique gym business and enter into a partnership with Lord Sugar.

She becomes the 19th candidate to win the BBC reality programme since it launched in 2005 after two competitors shared the crown in 2017.

– Series 1: Tim Campbell

The Apprentice series 18
Tim Campbell won a £100,000 job in Lord Sugar’s Amstrad business (BBC/Naked/Ray Burmiston/PA)

In 2022, he stepped in for Claude Littner as Lord Sugar’s right-hand man in the boardroom as the businessman was recovering from a serious electric bike accident.

He also replaced Littner for the majority of the 17th series and continued on for the most recent 18th series.

– Series 2: Michelle Dewberry

TRIC Awards 2023
Michelle Dewberry is now a presenter on GB News (Ian West/PA)

Dewberry was applauded by Lord Sugar for holding down three jobs while she was still at school. Nowadays, she is a consultant and regularly appears as a pundit on TV, and is also a presenter on GB News.

In 2017, she announced she was standing for Parliament as an independent candidate in the Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle constituency.

– Series 3: Simon Ambrose

The Apprentice Finalists
Simon Ambrose won series three (Ian West/PA)

The Cambridge graduate is now a property developer.

– Series 4: Lee McQueen

TV Quick and TV Choice Awards 2008 – London
Lee McQueen has gone on to set up a recruitment and training company (Yui Mok/PA)

After this, he set up a recruitment and training company called Raw Talent Academy based in Oxfordshire.

– Series 5: Yasmina Siadatan

New Series of the Apprentice
Yasmina Siadatan is now chief revenue officer at a fintech company (BBC/Talkback Thames/PA)

She was later headhunted by James Caan of Dragons’ Den fame to help run his private equity organisation, before becoming chief revenue officer at fintech company Dynamic Planner in Reading.

– Series 6: Stella English

Lord Sugar tribunal
Stella English began hosting Sky’s Crowdbox TV (Philip Toscano/PA)

She went on to work as a management consultant at computer giant HP, before she began hosting Sky’s Crowdbox TV.

– Series 7: Tom Pellereau

Apprentice product launch
Inventor Tom Pellereau created a nail clipper for children (Sean Dempsey/PA)

His specialty in inventing saw him launch a few successful brands, among them the Stylfile nail file.

– Series 8: Ricky Martin

National Television Awards 2013 – Arrivals – London
Apprentice Winner Ricky Martin set up his own science and technology recruitment company using investment from Lord Sugar (Ian West/PA)

The biochemist now part-owns his own science and technology recruitment company, Hyper Recruitment Solutions (HRS), which he set up using the investment from Lord Sugar.

– Series 9: Dr Leah Totton

Dr Leah Cosmetic Skin Clinic opening – Loughton
Past Apprentice winner Dr Leah Totton opened a second skin care clinic in Loughton, Essex (Lauren Hurley/PA)

The Derry-born entrepreneur is also an advocate for improving standards in the beauty industry.

– Series 10: Mark Wright

The Apprentice 2014
Mark Wright won the series in 2014 (Ian West/PA)

In 2022, he sold his business, digital marketing agency Climb Online, he set up with Lord Sugar, for a reported £10 million.

– Series 11: Joseph Valente

The Apprentice 2015
Lord Sugar with Apprentice winner Joseph Valente (John Stillwell/PA)

He is now the chief executive of Trade Mastermind, a training provider for trades and construction businesses.

– Series 12: Alana Spencer

The Apprentice 2016
Lord Sugar and Alana Spencer, winner of series 12 (Yui Mok/PA)

She later launched her Ambassador & Cakepreneur schemes, helping those who were wishing to start a cake business.

– Series 13: James White and Sarah Lynn

The Apprentice 2017
James White and Sarah Lynn became joint winners of The Apprentice in 2017 (Yui Mok/PA)

James White, who ran an IT recruitment firm, and Sarah Lynn, who owned a confectionery company, were both given £250,000 by the business tycoon.

– Series 14: Sian Gabbidon

Fallout UK special screening – London
Sian Gabbidon launched her business while studying at university (Ian West/PA)

The Leeds-born entrepreneur Gabbidon launched SNME through Instagram while studying at university.

– Series 15: Carina Lepore

National Television Awards 2020 – Arrivals – London
Carina Lepore opened a second branch of her Dough Bakehouse business in London (Ian West/PA)

The year following, the series was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic and in 2022 it returned and was won by Harpreet Kaur.

– Series 16: Harpreet Kaur

British Soap Awards 2022 – London
Harpreet Kaur owns her business with her older sister (Suzan Moore/PA)

She has talked about work tips and tricks on the BBC’s Asian Network.

– Series 17: Marnie Swindells

Gala screening of Big George Foreman – London
Marnie Swindells has appeared in a range of adverts (Ian West/PA)

She has worked with numerous brands and featured in a wide range of adverts including campaigns for Adidas and Sports Direct.

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