THE Apprentice is fast becoming better known for its wannabes’ fame-hungry ambition than their business skills.
And some of the contestants who will be on the next series of Lord Sugar’s hit BBC One show look like they would be more suited to the Love Island villa than the boardroom.
Some have massive social media followings, while one has a lengthy CV of TV work, making this year’s intake a far cry from the show’s original aim at its start in 2005 to champion unknowns.
An internet search quickly reveals that confectionary firm boss Victoria Goulbourne, who appears to be more at home in a bikini than in a business suit, already has more than 12,000 Instagram followers.
Last month a TikTok clip of her glamorous holiday in Bali getting ruined by a muddy swamp was viewed 29.6million times.
Glamorous hair salon owner Dani Donovan often poses in her swimwear.
Reece Donnelly, who runs a theatre school, has been in TV shows since he was a kid, as well as appearing in a telly ad for phone network T-Mobile.
FAME-HUNGRY WANNABES
He might be able to give a few tips to Avi Sharma, who quit a career in banking to pick up presenting and hosting jobs.
The most recent series of The Apprentice had three contestants who had all featured on reality TV shows.
Pharmacist Navid Sole starred on Channel 5 show Rich Kids Go Skint, ITV’s Judge Rinder and BBC Three series Eating With My Ex, while pyjama store owner Kathryn Burn was on Channel 4’s The Island With Bear Grylls in 2017.
And American beauty entrepreneur Amy Anzel first found fame on the first series of US dating show The Bachelor in 2002.
In 2011 Lord Sugar, who is worth an estimated £1.2billion, said he wanted to ban fame-hungry wannabes from his show.
He maintained last year he stood by the ban, saying: “If anybody has appeared somewhere before on a television programme, and it had been scrutinised in the auditioning process by the BBC, and if they’ve accepted it, it’s most probably because their appearance was incidental or not of significance.”
The next series of The Apprentice, which begins next month, features 18 entrepreneurs competing for a £250,000 investment under the watchful eyes of Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell MBE.
Task include selling day-trips to tourists in Antigua, creating cartoon characters and flogging street food.
The first episode of last year’s series, won by dessert shop owner Harpreet Kaur, peaked at 8.9million — the highest since the 2017 final.
We reveal the new candidates who have already made a name for themselves.
Megan Hornby - Owner of The Candy Shop
Megan was previously the general manager of an Italian restaurant in Hull.
She opened her business selling confectionary after she was furloughed, and now runs two outlets.
Her firm Candy Shop, which employs a team of 20, also offers takeaway desserts and milkshakes — similar to last year’s winner Harpreet Kaur.
Sales took off as more customers opted to have their sweet treats delivered during the pandemic.
Megan, 20, said: “I really didn’t think I’d be doing this well.”
Dani Donovan - Owner of Mermane Hair Extensions
POSING in swimwear to promote her products has helped Dani attract more than 6,000 followers to her firm’s Instagram account.
The owner of Mermane Hair Extensions opened her first shop before she turned 21.
Earlier this year she gave the game away about her time on The Apprentice by revealing on Instagram she had spent two months away on a new project.
Avi Sharma - Host of Avi TV
SINCE quitting his well-paid job at Barclay’s bank, Avi has billed himself as a “creator” and “speaker”.
On his website, he offers public speaking and coaching services, with topics including “how to smash your interview” and “goal-setting for winners”.
Other highlights include an e-book featuring a photo of himself posing in a leather jacket, which he is selling for £25.
He admits growing up he was and “attention seeking” and says his motto is “give more”.
Reece Donnelly - Theatre school founder
WANNABE pictured on social media in candy-striped shorts, purple shades and carrying a manbag founded the Theatre School of Scotland aged just 20 in 2017.
He is no stranger to the limelight, getting his first job on television aged six on kids’ channel CBBC.
He has been in Waterloo Road and auditioned for Britain’s Got Talent in 2012.
Victoria Goulbourne - Sweet business boss
THE former Emirates air hostess has racked up 5.9million likes on TikTok.
Her Instagram account is packed with pictures of her in bikinis enjoying foreign holidays.
She began her pick ’n’ mix business after the pandemic.
The Sweet Life is currently online only — but Victoria said: “The dream would be to open up shops around the UK.”
Rochelle Anthony - Beauty business boss
GLAMOROUS owner of The Dollshouse Salon, Milton Keynes, Rochelle offers everything from extensions to hair makeovers.
She won an award for Best Local Business in 2018 and describes the salon as “successful” and “glamorous”.
Accounts for her firm show she has just over £65,000 in the coffers.
More than 22,000 people follow her on Instagram.
