The Apprentice: Full list of past winners including Ricky Martin and Tom Pellereau - where are they now?
The Apprentice returns for its 19th series, but what happened to the former winners of the hit competition show?
Lord Alan Sugar returns to the boardroom with his trusted advisers Tim Campbell and Karren Brady as a new cohort of hopefuls aim to win that sought-after investment in their business plan. Now in its 19th series, the show has grown to become of the BBC’s flagship programmes and has even seen some former winners go from strength-to-strength in the business world.
BUt where are the ex-winners now, and how are the most successful? Here’s everything you need to know.
Series 1 - Tim Campbell
The very first winner of The Apprentice UK will be familiar to fans, even if they didn’t tune in for the first series of the show. Tim Campbell won the show in 2005 and secured the then-prize of a £100,000-per-year 12 month job with Lord Sugar’s company Amstrad.
The ex-London Underground planner impressed during his time at the company and left in 2007 before going on to co-found the Bright Ideas Charity. The charity helps young people develop their own business ideas.
Tim was awarded an MBE in 2012 for his services to enterprise culture and joined The Apprentice, this time as one of Lord Sugar’s advisers, in 2023. He replaced Claude Littner on the show, and has remained in the role since.
Series 2 - Michelle Dewberry
Michelle Dewberry won the second series of the show and was awarded with a lucrative job at Lord Sugar’s tech company Xenon Green. She left the company after a few months in the post to start her own business consultancy company.
Michelle also turned her attention to the world of politics, making two unsuccessful attempts to become an MP on a pro-Brexit platform first as an independent in 2017 and again as a Brexit Party candidate in 2019.
She has since become a presenter for GB News, joining the channel in 2021. Michelle fronts the show ‘Dewbs & Co’, which airs at 6pm on weeknights.
Series 3 - Simon Ambrose
In 2007, Simon Ambrose was named as the winner of the third series of The Apprentice and landed a job at Amsprop, Lord Sugar’s property company. At the time, he also trained as a surveyor.
He left the company in 2010 to launch his own business venture in the property development field. By 2015, Simon reportedly operated multiple bars and restaurants in the London area and served as chairman of the London Contemporary Orchestra.
Series 4 - Lee McQueen
Despite being caught lying on his CV about his time in university throughout the show, recruitment consultant Lee McQueen won the competition in 2008 and worked shortly after the show to help create the firm Amscreen. He left his post after two years to launch his own company, Raw Talent Academy.
Lee has also become a media personality, mostly speaking about his experience of achieving success despite a lack of qualifications on paper.
Series 5 - Yasmina Siadatan
Yasmina Siadatan won the show in 2009 and went on to join Lee in a role at Amscreen. However, the series five winner left her job at the company after 12 months, after she fell pregnant four months into the post.
The former restaurant owner was later headhunted by Dragons’ Den star James Caan to help run his private equity company. Yasmina is currently the Chief Revenue Officer of digital financial planning firm Dynamic Planner.
Series 6 - Stella English
In 2010, Stella English became the show’s sixth winner. The ex-investment bank manager was awarded with a £100k-per-year role at Lord Sugar’s firm Viglen, but the relationship soured after Stella sued him for constructive dismissal.
However, the case was dismissed by a tribunal and Lord Sugar later sued her for legal costs. Stella has opened up about how the chapter in her career “wrecked” her life, including her marriage.
She told The Mirror: “The day that Ray left me he said 'I wish you had never done that show'. I just didn't know what to say. We got through the tribunal but when Sugar's cost application came that was the final straw.”
Stella went on to work at digital TV firm YouView, and later as a management consultant at HP. In 2014, she hosted a crowdfunded TV channel, CrowdBox.
Series 7 - Tom Pellereau
Series seven winner Tom Pellereau became the first Apprentice contestant to win a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar, instead of a lucrative job at one of his firms. The former mechanical engineering graduate impressed the boss with his business plan for Stylfile, a curved nail file invented by Tom.
Tom saw major success with his business idea and went on to launch Stylideas, which owns Stylfile, Stylpro and Stylsmile. Touted as ‘the world's beauty handyman’, Tom has gone on to grow Stylideas into a thriving company.
Series 8 - Ricky Martin
In 2012, Ricky Martin won the £250k investment into his business plan after winning the eighth series of The Apprentice. Ricky, a former pro-wrestler and biochemist, launched Hyper Recruitment Solutions, which specialises in recruitment for the science sector.
He became the show’s most successful alumni, growing Hyper Recruitment Solutions into a multi-million pound company. The firm had turned over £15 million by 2023. Ricky has also gone on to launch his own podcast, ‘Recruit Ricky - How To Get Hired’
Series 9 - Leah Totton
Leah Totton was crowned the winner of the series in 2013, using the £250k investment to launch a cosmetic clinic in London. The ex-model and physician expanded the Dr Leah Clinics, with more locations throughout London and Essex, as well as launching a range of skincare products in 2022.
Away from her business, Leah also returned to the NHS in 2017, working as a part-time GP. She has also campaigned and advocated for improved regulation and standards within the cosmetic industry.
Series 10 - Mark Wright
The series 10 winner was crowned as Mark Wright in 2014. The Aussie-born businessman launched his digital marketing agency Climb Online with Lord Sugar's help and £250k investment.
Mark has also become a success story from the show, being named as UK entrepreneur of the year in 2018 and being named on the prestigious Forbes 30 Under 30 list. He sold Climb Online in 2022 for £10 million and has since moved back to Australia.
Series 11 - Joseph Valente
Joseph Valente launched his own plumbing business ImpraGas in 2015 after he was crowned the series 11 winner. The company focused on the maintenance and installation of plumbing, heating and electrical products.
However, Joseph was forced to sell the company in 2020. He has since gone on to launch Trade Mastermind, a business training and coaching company for the construction industry.
Series 12 - Alana Spencer
In 2016, Lord Sugar seemingly had a sweet tooth after he picked baker Alana Spencer to become his newest Apprentice. Alana launched her luxury baked goods and chocolate business Ridiculously Rich by Alana with the £250k investment.
Alana has gone on to launch ‘ambassador’ and ‘cakepreneur’ schemes through the business, which allows wannabe business owners to run their own Ridiculously Rich franchises. The business boasts over 50 franchises, with products in local independent retailers.
Series 13 - Sarah Lynn & James White
In a first for the show, Lord Sugar named both Sarah Lynn and James White as joint winners in 2017. After being unable to separate them in the final of the 13th series, the pair were awarded a £250,000 investment each.
Sarah used the investment for her business Sweets In The City. The firm produces personalised confectionery gifts for customers, with huge clients including Harrods, Harvey Nichols and Selfridges.
James invested his prize into his recruitment firm Right Time Recruitment. However, Lord Sugar pulled out of the company in 2020 and the firm went into liquidation in 2024, according to The Sun.
Series 14 - Sian Gabbidon
Sian Gabbidon was crowned the winner of the show in 2018, using Lord Sugar’s lucrative investment to launch her swimwear and fashion brand Sian Marie. Both she and Lord Sugar shared an equal partnership in the company, which initially sold through its own website before expanding to sell on ASOS and in Asda stores.
Despite Lord Sugar stepping back from the firm, Sian Marie has continued to operate. Sian has since gone on to co-found e-commerce agency Twenty Twenty Digital.
Series 15 - Carina Lepore
Carina Lepore was named as the 2019 winner of The Apprentice. Lord Sugar returned to the world of baking, pledging his £250k investment into Carina’s bakery business Dough Artisan Bakehouse. The company’s first location opened in Herne Hill, with a second location now open at Boxpark in Croydon.
Lord Sugar parted ways with the company in 2023, with Carina taking full control of the business again after reportedly buying out his shares in the business. A spokesperson for Lord Sugar said at the time: “Both parties agreed it was the right decision for the business moving forward, and Carina will take back full control of her business with immediate effect.”
Series 16 - Harpreet Kaur
Huddersfield-born Harpreet won Lord Sugar’s sweet investment to help expand her dessert company ‘Oh So Yum’ in 2022. She launched the business in 2015, but has recently made the announcement that she would be quitting her role at Oh So Yum.
Harpreet, who married her Apprentice co-star Akshay Thakrar in May 2024, said in a statement: “I have come to the difficult, but exciting, decision that it is time for something new. Oh So Yum will continue to run as normal, but without me as part of it's [sic] next chapter.”
Lord Sugar said of the move: "Harpreet is an exceptionally bright and driven businesswoman. I’ve enjoyed our time working together, and whilst the time is right for us to now go our separate ways, I have no doubts she will continue to flourish."
Series 17 - Marnie Swindells
Marnie, 29, won Lord Sugar's investment in 2023, using the money to expand her boxing gym business, Bronx Gym. Located in Camberwell, south-east London, the investment has been used to recently expand the gym with new facilities including a weight room, sauna and cafe.
At a launch of the expansion in April 2024, which was attended by some of her fellow Apprentice alumni, Marnie told the Daily Mail: “I'm really excited to see the gym thriving, it fills me with so much happiness to see all the support, especially from The Apprentice crew. Here's to the future for Bronx Gym and bigger and better things to come.”
Series 18 - Rachel Woolford
Rachel, 29, is the most recent recipient of Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment, after she beat out piemaker Phil Spencer in last year’s series. She used the money to help expand her growing boutique gym business, North Studio, with locations now in Harrogate and Leeds.
Rachel is still in regular contact with Lord Sugar, telling BBC News: "We speak monthly, so we have a monthly management accounts meeting.
“We go through what's going on in the business, where there are problems, where we can improve the problems and what things are going well. I can speak to him generally as much or as little as I like."