Rachel Woolford, the owner of a fitness studio, has emerged as Alan Sugar’s newest business partner after winning this season of The Apprentice on BBC One.
Woolford, who started her boutique gym business North Studio during the pandemic, competed against Phil Turner, the owner of a pie company, to secure Sugar’s £250,000 investment and establish a partnership with the business tycoon.
Following her victory in the finale on Thursday, Woolford expressed that receiving the investment was “beyond her wildest dreams.”
After the two finalists presented their final pitches to Sugar, the business magnate came to his decision.
Lord Sugar said:
“This is a very tough decision, because I’ve got two very, very credible people in front of me. I’ve got Rachel who claims she’s making money and that she’s going to make even more when she gets the second gym up and running – but gyms are, with all due respect, two-a-penny. Specialist pies are not and it’s a market that I’m very interested in, but how can I be interested in it if there’s no light at the end of the tunnel? There’s a loss-making business at the moment, which you tell me is going to turn around and be okay, and that’s my dilemma.
“It’s very, very hard for me. I’m having trouble here. But my gut feeling is telling me that, Rachel, you’re going to be my business partner.”
The series started with 18 hopeful candidates who over the course of 12 weeks were whittled down to the final two through competing in tense challenges.
The show remains popular for the Beeb with an average of 6.9m tuning in across the series to date, with a peak of 7.1m for the launch episode.
