The BBC is gearing up for the start next month of the latest battle for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment – but records show most winners do not hang around for long with him.
The tycoon is still in business with just three of the past 10 winners of hit reality programme The Apprentice.
Only last year’s winner – boxing gym owner Marnie Swindells, 2013 champion clinic owner Dr Leah Totton and 2012 recruiter Ricky Martin – are still in business with Lord Sugar.
Marnie, who used the investment to open her first gym in London, said: “Once the glitz of The Apprentice has subsided, he gets the true assessment of whether they are people he sees a long-term relationship with.”
Sian Gabbidon, who won in 2018, lost Lord Sugar as a director of her fashion business in March 2022 and the firm is in liquidation. The peer has also parted ways with 2019 winner Carina Lepore’s artisan bakery business plus 2017’s joint winners Sarah Lynn’s confectionary company and James White’s recruitment firm.
Joseph Valente, from 2015, lost Lord Sugar in 2017 and sold his plumbing business in 2020 with £2million debts.
Lord Sugar’s spokesman Andrew Bloch said he “makes it perfectly clear” he will not invest more than £250,000 even if the business runs out of funds. His investment also buys him a 50% stake in the business.
Some contestants see his departure as a blessing with 2016 winner Alana Spencer saying it was an “amazing opportunity” to take full control of her cake company when Lord Sugar resigned as director in 2019.
Lord Sugar’s firm Amsvest stopped having “significant control” of 2022 winner Harpreet Kaur’s desserts firm Oh So Yum in July but she said the pair “didn’t part on bad terms”.
In November 2022, Lord Sugar also quit as director of 2014 winner Mark Wright’s Climb Online digital marketing agency, which sold for £10million.
There were no Apprentice series in 2020 and 2021 because of the Covid pandemic.
From more than 10 series ago, Lord Sugar is still with inventor Tom Pellereau from the 2011 show.
