Member Article

The Apprentice: Where are they now?

Everyone’s favourite eighties success story, Lord Sugar, returns to our screens tonight for the new series of The Apprentice. This series, twenty budding entrepreneurs will battle it out for a £250k investment in their business idea, with Lord Sugar taking a 50% stake.

Since the new series marks the 10th anniversary of The Apprentice, we’ve decided to go back in time and take a look at some of the best (and worst) contestants of the last decade, and what they’re up to now.

Lee McQueen (Series four)

Lee McQueen won the series in 2007, after gaining 12 years work experience in recruitment. McQueen maintained a a record of 7 wins and 3 losses including winning both his tasks as project manager and never featuring in the bottom three.

McQueen went on to work for Lord Sugar’s newly launched company Amscreen, of which Lord Sugar’s son Simon Sugar is the CEO, as the business development director where his first major deal was with BP. After two years in the role McQueen decided to leave Amscreen in June 2010 to pursue public speaking and to set up his own company, Raw Talent Academy.

Tom Pellereau (Series seven)

In 2011, Tom Pellereau conquered the boardroom despite being on the losing team for eight out of the 12 tasks. An avid inventor, Pellereau received £250k investment in his business concept - a new range of nail files. Pellereau’s Stylfile collection can now be bought in both Sainsbury’s and Boots stores across the country.

Pellereau has also tried his hand at app design, helping his sister launch Timmy Tickle, a children’s story book app. He has also leading the way with Mode Diagnostics, a diagnostics start-up developing new products that allow consumers to carry out personal screening for the early detection of bowel cancer.

Luissa Zissman (Series nine)

Luissa Zissman is a whole other kettle of fish. Zissman came second to Leah Totton in the 2013 series. She entered the boardroom at just 25 after having launch three businesses - an eBay tech company, a cupcake shop and her own baking website.

After leaving the competition, Zissman started in Channel 4’s Celebrity Big Brother, coming fourth overall. A tabloid regular, Zissman now juggles her new found ‘celebrity’ status with caring for her four-year-old daughter and running her businesses.

Simon Ambrose (Series three)

In 2007, Simon Ambrose beat off Kristina Grimes to win the third series of the show. After his victory, Ambrose was assigned a role at Sugar’s property company Amsprop. He took charge of developing a hotel and golf course near Stansted Airport.

As of March 2009, he had successfully relaunched www.amsprop.com – “a one-stop shop giving customers instant access to all of AMSPROP’s portfolio”. However, in April 2010 he was reported to be leaving to start his own venture.

Ambrose is now the chairman of the London Company Orchestra (didn’t see that coming? neither did we!)

Kristina Grimes (Series three)

Ambrose’s nemesis Kristina Grimes also has an interesting story to tell. Grimes was promoted to the final when original finalist, Katie Hopkins, pulled out (more on her later).

Grimes gave birth to her first child at just 17 whilst living in the Republic of Ireland, going on to achieve a degree in mathematics.

After leaving The Apprentice, Grimes received 140 job offers. She chose to become the investment sales director with Isle of Man-based property company Dandara.

Subsequently, Grimes has founded The KGJC Partnership with former Apprentice contestant Jenny Celerier. She currently lives in Harrogate whilst her son Graeme is attending university in Birmingham.

Yasmina Siadatan (Series five)

Restaurateur and entrepreneur Yasmind Siadatan became the victor of the show’s fifth series in 2009, fighting off Kate Walsh in the final. After travelling in France in 2007, Siadatan and her brother set up a restaurant named Myalacarte.

In October 2011 the restaurant gained an entry to the Michelin guide for the first time. Also in 2011 the restaurant was named top 50 in the world by Restaurant Magazine.

Following a whirlwind romance with a colleague at Lord Sugar’s business, Siadatan fell pregnant and went on maternity leave - falling pregnant once and again during her leave, never to return to the position.

Siadatan now works as creative director at Dragon James Caan’s Start Up Loans Company, a government-run organisation that helps businesses needing funding and support.

Katie Hopkins (Series three)

Last and by all means least, Katie Hopkins appeared in the 2007 series of the show. Hopkins rejected Sugar’s offer of a position in the finale of the show, citing childcare problems as her reason for leaving.

In June 2007, she lost her job at the Met Office, confirming that her behaviour on The Apprentice and confessions about her private life were a factor in her dismissal.

Hopkins quickly signed two deals to sell her story, one with the News of the World newspaper and the other with EMAP, the company behind Heat and Grazia magazines.

Hopkins has since formed an extensive career in the media, appearing on 8 Out of 10 Cats , Loose Women and The Friday Night Project. She now writes a weekly column for The Sun and regularly appears on ITV’s This Morning.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .