The Apprentice 2022 is well underway, with just seven of the initial 16 Apprentice 2022 candidates still standing.
The 16th season of the show returned to BBC One on Thursday 6th January after a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Joining Lord Sugar in the boardroom for season 16 is his usual right-hand aide Baroness Karen Brady, as well as former winner Tim Campbell, who is temporarily taking over from Claude Littner while he recovers from surgery following an electric bike accident.
Together they will decide who to eliminate each week and, more importantly, who will become Lord Sugar’s newest business partner and secure his £250,000 investment for their business.
But how far can victory on The Apprentice take these ambitious business professionals? Read on for everything you need to know about past winners of The Apprentice and what they’re up to now.
The Apprentice winners: Who won past series and where are they now?
2019 – Carina Lepore
!["Carina]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2019/12/19646017-low_res-the-apprentice-2019-series-15-99852c1.jpg?quality=90&crop=149px%2C0px%2C1621px%2C1080px&resize=620%2C413" "\"Carina")
Instagram: @carinalepore
Lepore defeated recruitment consultant Scarlett Allen-Horton in the fifteenth series of The Apprentice.
With the series having taken a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, Lepore was the show’s last winner.
She opened her second Dough Artisan Bakehouse in September 2020.
2018 – Sian Gabbidon
!["Sian]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2018/09/Screen-Shot-2018-09-25-at-11.33.08-0966943.png?quality=90&resize=613%2C404" "\"Sian")
Instagram: @SianGabbidon
Following Gabbidon’s victory in 2017, Lord Sugar became a co-owner of her pre-existing swimwear and fashion business, which has since expanded to sell through ASOS.
2017 – Sarah Lynn and James White
!["(BBC,]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2017/10/Sarah-Lynn-49db303.jpg?quality=90&crop=2px%2C28px%2C477px%2C318px&resize=477%2C318" "\"Sarah")
Lynn’s Instagram: @mrs_sarah_lynn
White’s Instagram: @james91white
Lord Sugar crowned two winners on the 2017 series of The Apprentice.
While Lynn invested in her personalised sweet business, Sweet City, White used the prize money to invest in his IT and infrastructure recruitment business.
2016 – Alana Spencer
My cafes may be closed due to our friend Eunice, but you can still snap up some delicious treats via our website to make sheltering from the storm that little bit more bearable!⛈https://t.co/pMJvjr5MK2#stormeunice #stayathome #sweettreats pic.twitter.com/B4TlTIB4Ah
— RidiculouslyRichbyAlana (@Alana_Spencer_) February 18, 2022
Welsh businesswoman Spencer stormed to victory and was crowned the winner of The Apprentice in 2016.
She went on to launch a luxury cake business, Ridiculously Rich by Alana.
2015 – Joseph Valente
Instagram: @mrjosephvalente
Valente used the prize money to invest in his plumbing company ImpraGas.
He is now the CEO of Trade Mastermind, a coaching company based in Peterborough which helps small businesses grow.
2014 – Mark Wright
Instagram: @wright_10
After being crowned the winner of season 10, Wright went on to found a digital marketing agency with Lord Sugar called Climb Online.
Wright won UK entrepreneur of the year in 2018 and was also listed on Forbes 30 Under 30 list.
2013 – Leah Totton
Instagram: @DrLeahTotton
Totton impressed Lord Sugar in the ninth series of The Apprentice and went on to win the show.
She then set up a chain of ethical cosmetic clinics with Lord Sugar.
2012 – Ricky Martin
Instagram: @rickymartin247
Martin was crowned winner of The Apprentice in 2011 and went on to run a science recruitment agency following his victory.
2011 – Tom Pellereau
Instagram: @Inventor_Tom
Pelleareau climbed his way to the top of The Apprentice season 8 in 2010, despite losing most challenges, and went on to receive a £250,000 investment in his invention Stylfile, a curved nail file.
He now runs a beauty accessories company with Lord Sugar called AVENTom.
2010 – Stella English
English won the 2010 series of The Apprentice but her relationship with Lord Sugar soon turned sour.
English attempted to sue him for constructive dismissal after resigning from the £100,000-a-year job that was her prize for winning season 6 of the show, but the case was dismissed.
Talking to Lorraine Kelly and Aled Jones on Daybreak in 2020, English spoke about her resignation and its repercussions: “Despite [the high salary] I couldn’t actually physically stay there, because it was unbearable. I had no future there, I knew that’s why I resigned.
“I don’t regret going on the show because I won The Apprentice and I’m very proud of that.
“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.”
She continued: “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.”
English went on to work as a Management Consultant at computer giant HP, before she began hosting Crowdbox TV, a crowdfunding TV channel, in 2014.
2009 – Yasmina Siadatan
Crowned winner of The Apprentice in 2009, Siadatan went on to join Lee McQueen at Amscreen, but left the following year after becoming pregnant and didn’t return.
She was then headhunted by Dragon’s Den star James Caan before setting up her own start-up loans company.
She currently helps run a fintech company called Dynamic Planner based in Reading.
2008 – Lee McQueen
!["Lee]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/Lee-McQueen-PA-c284b88-e1646135583715.jpg?quality=90&resize=612%2C413" "\"Lee")
Instagram: @lee.mcqueen
McQueen won The Apprentice season 4 despite a series of grave errors on the show including lying on his CV – and went on to work for Lord Sugar’s healthcare company Amscreen.
McQueen left the company in 2010 to start his own recruitment agency, Raw Talent Agency.
2007 – Simon Ambrose
!["Simon]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/03/Simon-Ambrose-PA-4aeecfe-e1646135597525.jpg?quality=90&resize=613%2C413" "\"Simon")
Instragram: @simonambrose
On defeating Katie Hopkins and winning The Apprentice in 2007, Ambrose landed a job with Lord Sugar at his property company Armsprop before leaving to start up his own property development firm in 2010.
It was reported in 2015 that Ambrose was putting his business skills to use in a different sector, and that he was planning to open a number of bars and restaurants in London.
Simon has other hidden talents too, and he is believed to be serving as a chairman of the London Contemporary orchestra.
2006 – Michelle Dewberry
Instagram: @michelledewbs
Dewberry won the competition in 2006 and landed a job at Lord Sugar’s tech company Xenon Green.
However, she quit after just a few months and started a business consultancy.
She also published a book in 2007 and became a columnist for magazine Business Matters in 2009.
Dewberry also dabbled in politics after her stint on The Apprentice, standing as an independent pro-Brexit candidate in the 2017 general election in Hull West and Hessle.
2005 – Tim Campbell
!["The]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/01/Tim-Campbell-74238b5.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Tim-Campbell\"")
Instagram: @timcampbell_mbe
Tim was the first ever winner of the BBC One business-based reality TV series back in 2005, bagging a £100,000-a-year job with Lord Sugar’s firm Amstrad.
However, he departed from Amstrad two years later to found the Bright Ideas Trust, a charity which helps young people to set up their own businesses.
Tim is also the co-author of one of Amazon’s Top 10 business books for 2010, What’s Your Bright Idea?.
What’s more, in 2012, Tim received an MBE for Enterprise Culture and currently runs his own digital marketing agency called Marketing Runner.
The Apprentice airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursdays at 9pm. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.
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