You're hired! But not for too long
John Meagher
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It's reality television's great face-off. In one corner, there's Kristina Grimes, an ultra ambitious, resourceful businesswoman from Wicklow who describes herself as “a ruthless single mother”. In the other corner, there's Simon Ambrose, a former investment banker from London who speaks six languages.
They will square up tonight in the grand finale of The Apprentice, the hugely popular BBC series, now in its third year. The prize for the winner is a £100,000-a-year job as apprentice to Sir Alan Sugar, the CEO of Amstrad and the 71st richest man in the UK.
Already, it's been the most controversial of the series to date, with the power dressing Katie Hopkins originally selected to go through to the final before spectacularly quitting after being questioned about her family commitments.
But what has happened to the winners and notable candidates of previous series of The Apprentice? Not a lot in some cases. And neither previous winner is currently working with Sugar.
Tim Campbell won the first series and was appointed the Project Director of the new Health & Beauty division within Amstrad but his tenure there was short-lived. He left of his own accord and is now planning a male grooming business. He has also set up the Bright Ideas Trust, which aims to give young entrepreneurs a chance to start up in business with equity funding and advice from business angels.
Saira Khan — perhaps the most memorable candidate from series one — was fired in that season finale but has used the show to help launch a media career, including a regular column on the BBC Apprentice website and presenter of the enterprise show Beat the Boss on CBBC.
Michelle Dewberry won the second series and her role within Amstrad was to aid the launch of new company Xenon Green, which specialises in disposing of unwanted computer equipment of other businesses, in an environmentally friendly way. Between winning the television series and beginning working for Amstrad, Dewberry took a short sabbatical during which she made several appearances on chat shows, was interviewed for various newspapers and played in the England ladies celebrity football team in the BSkyB commissioned Celebrity World Cup Soccer Six.
In July 2006, it was revealed that she was pregnant by Syed Ahmed, a fellow contestant on the show, after a fling between the two in April.
It was news that led to a memorable tabloid headline: “Michelle — you're sired”, a pun on the show's “you're fired” catchphrase.
However, it was reported that her lifestyle, including her pregnancy, had caused a rift between her and her mentor. After being admitted to hospital with stomach pains in August 2006, Dewberry was told that she had lost the baby.
Dewberry has subsequently ceased working for Sugar, and formed her own business: Michelle Dewberry Ltd. She has also written a book, Anything Is Possible which is billed on her website as “an inspirational book” which “profiles her courageous rise from a working class background”.
Ruth Badger, the runner-up of series two has enjoyed a higher public profile than Dewberry. She is currently the presenter of Sky One's business entertainment show, Badger or Bust in which she uses her sales skills to boost failing businesses. The show has had modest ratings to date, but Badger looks like a natural on television. In addition to her television work, she also has her own consultancy firm, Ruth Badger Consultancy, with offices in Manchester and has also appeared on The Big Idea on Sky One.
The winners of the US version of the show — with a job at Donald Trump's corporation being the high-profile prize — have fared far better.
The first winner, Bill Rancic said that after his one-year contract expired for being Donald Trump's apprentice, he would leave the job and start his own company.
He instead has opted to remain part of the Trump Organisation, and now fills in as a occasional judge on the series.
Rancic occasionally offers advisory sessions to winning teams to help them further improve. He is engaged to rising star of US television, Giuliana DePandi.
Kelly Perdew won the second series and after a short stint working with Trump, he left to form Angel Venture Partners — a $50m venture capital fund that co-invests with the leading angel groups across the country in early stage ventures. He is also the author of Take Command: 10 Leadership Principles Learned In The Military And Put To Work For Donald Trump The book focuses on leadership principles that are necessary for success in business and life.
He's not the only winner of the US version to pen a business manual. Kendra Todd, the winner of series three, has recently penned the none-too-subtle Risk and Grow Rich.
The winners of series four, five and six are all still working with Trump and a seventh series is reportedly in the pipeline.
The final of The Apprentice airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm.
Man behind the show
The Apprentice concept was devised by Mark Burnett (above), a former British soldier who served in Northern Ireland. Burnett has become one of the biggest players in television today.
He introduced the genre of reality TV to the US after producing the US version of Survivor — the pioneering British show.
His eponymous production company has also created the popular series The Restaurant, The Casino, Rock Star, Combat Missions and The Contender. His new game show, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader? premiered on Fox in February of 2007.
He is collaborating with Steven Spielberg on a show entitled On the Lot, which premiered last month and will grant one out of 16 contestants an exclusive Hollywood deal with DreamWorks and Spielberg.
The Apprentice format has been licensed to over 30 countries, including Russia, China and Colombia and has spawned several imitators.
Burnett’s rise is classic rags to riches. He moved to Los Angeles in 1982, and held a variety of jobs, including working as a nanny in Beverly Hills.
