As beauty queen and pretty fashionista battle to impress Lord Sugar, we ask… is this the sexiest Apprentice ever?
We take a closer look at all the hopefuls vying for the £250k investment in their business plans
A FORMER beauty queen and a sexy fashionista who hobnobs with celebs are going to make this year’s Apprentice the hottest yet.
Frances Bishop, 25, showed off her curves in a tiny bikini in the 2013 Miss Great Britain contest.
Now the wag — wed to Scunthorpe’s Neal Bishop — has swapped the catwalk for the boardroom to vie against red-hot talent such as fashion entrepreneur Jessica Cunningham.
Glam Jessica, 29, already rubs shoulders with famous names including England rugby ace Danny Cipriani and former Geordie Shore reality star Vicky Pattison.
The 18 candidates vying for a £250,000 investment were unveiled yesterday by the hit BBC show’s supremo Lord Sugar, 69, and his aides Baroness Karren Brady, 47, and Claude Littner, 69.
Among them are make-up artist Grainne McCoy — who has worked in swanky Cannes and on low-budget films such as Ibiza Undead — posting online snaps of her dressed as a zombie and in a sexy blue fancy-dress outfit.
Cake queen Alana Spencer also shows she means business in the glam stakes in her Instagram pic.
While in the men’s corner there’s Bond — or rather a sausage maker who reckons he’s 007.
Frances Bishop
Age: 25
Occupation: Owner, Children’s Clothing Company
Lives: Doncaster
Frances is the owner of a children’s clothing boutique and describes herself as talkative with a feisty personality, which she believes is what has got her so far in the business world. She wants to impress Lord Sugar with her strong positive outlook.
She says: “I’m a pocket rocket. I’m quite fiery and live by the rule ‘kill them with kindness’.”
Alana Spencer
Age: 24
Occupation: Owner, Cake Company
Lives: Ceredigion, Wales
Alana is the owner of a baking company and describes herself as determined, creative and charming. She started her first business at age 17, a chocolate company, before moving on to selling cakes. She believes she is an adaptable businesswoman who will not shy away from any task Lord Sugar sets.
She says: “I am incredibly hard working, driven, and I'll stop at nothing to get what I want.”
Aleksandra King
Age: 38
Occupation: Owner, Business Consultancy
Lives: London
Aleksandra owns and operates a business consultancy company. She describes herself as altruistic and extremely confident, believes she has a gift for spotting a good business opportunity and can sell to anyone. She cites her mother as an inspiration as she is fluent in seven languages and has an ability to ‘get people’.
She says: “Like the Tasmanian devil in the famous cartoon, I will torpedo my way through to the win”
Courtney Wood
Age: 29
Occupation: Owner, Novelty Gift Company
Lives: Essex
Courtney designs and creates novelty gifts which he supplies to national and international retailers. He describes himself as fun with a positive attitude and he believes his confidence is one of his strongest attributes. He says he is not one to sit back and plans to assert his authority in the process. He thinks his cutthroat tactics will help him reach the top.
He says: “How would I describe myself in one sentence? I'll give you one word: awesome.”
Dillon St. Paul
Age: 37
Occupation: Art Director, Fashion Magazine
Lives: Dublin, Ireland
Describing himself as super-creative, Dillon is currently a freelance Art Director at a fashion magazine. He describes himself as talented, kind and very funny. He intends to be ‘Machiavellian’ about tasks and says he will tell white lies if he needs to.
He says: “Sometimes batting the eyelashes can get you a lot in business. Hence, the mascara comes in handy – so they can see those lashes.”
Grainne McCoy
Age: 31
Occupation: Owner, Makeup Studio
Lives: Northern Ireland
Grainne owns her own makeup business and works throughout the country on projects from film sets to fashion shows. She says her hunger and passion push her to succeed and she puts maximum effort into everything she does. She is confident that her self-belief and strong-mindedness will see her through the tasks.
She says: “I need guidance and a little bit of mentoring to help me make that first million.”
JD O’Brien
Age: 37
Occupation: Owner, Beachwear Company
Lives: London
JD is the founder and owner of a men’s beachwear company. He believes he can make the best of any situation whilst still being a ‘good bloke’. He says he is going to put in the hard work and aims to make no mistakes along the way.
He says: “I won’t suffer fools. I will get upset by other candidates who don’t know their arse from their elbow.”
Jessica Cunningham
Age: 29
Occupation: Online Fashion Entrepreneur
Lives: Derbyshire
Jessica is owner of an online fashion company and the Operations Director for a PR and marketing agency. She believes her positive helpful attitude will propel her through the tasks, and says she wants to get close to the other candidates to find out how they operate, analyse their strengths and weaknesses and attempt to use them to her advantage.
She says: “A motto I live by is: there is no competition if you're already winning.”
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Karthik Nagesan
Age: 33
Occupation: Owner, IT Consultancy
Lives: Northamptonshire
Karthik owns an IT consulting company and says his friends would describe him as a born leader who takes charge and blazes a trail. He cites his role model as Alexander the Great because he is a master strategist and a brilliant tactician. He believes he is firm yet polite, making him the ultimate ‘human magnet’.
He says: “If I wanted to be like everyone else, I’d have waxed my monobrow.”
Michelle Niziol
Age: 35
Occupation: Owner, Property Consultancy
Lives: Oxfordshire
Michelle is the founder and owner of three companies in mortgages, property and lettings. She describes herselfas straight-talking, passionate and honest but admits that she can sometimes be bossy and impatient.
She says: “I work 15 to 17 hours every day. 100 per cent, I'm a workaholic.”
Mukai Noiri
Age: 36
Occupation: Digital Marketing Manager, Fashion
Lives: London
Mukai has lived in over six countries across three continents and recently gave up his position as a senior communications manager to focus on his business idea. He believes his charm is one of his strongest qualities, though he is a straight talker which he thinks some people might perceive as being insensitive.
He says: “I feel sorry for Lord Sugar because previous applicants have been weak.”
Natalie Hughes
Age: 30
Occupation: Owner, Hair and Beauty Salon
Lives: Glasgow
Natalie owns and runs two beauty and clothing businesses. She considers her best quality to be her quick- thinking, but she is also a persuasive talker who insists that nothing embarrasses her. She prides herself on her ability to buy and sell with ease and believes she has the motivation to win.
She says: “I started at a young age, I'm a hustler, I've got the hustler’s ambition.”
Oliver Nohl-Oser
Age: 33
Occupation: Owner, Food Distribution Business
Lives: Wiltshire
Oliver is the founder and director of a sausage manufacturer which supplies supermarkets both in the UK and internationally. He believes his greatest business skills lie in his marketing ability and his powers of persuasion. When it comes to winning, he regards honesty as the best policy but says he won’t be befriending other candidates as he wants to focus on the prize.
He says: “Sometimes I feel like James Bond when I’m in my suit.”
Paul Sullivan
Age: 38
Occupation: Owner, Marketing Agency
Lives: Chigwell, Essex
Paul is the owner and director of a marketing company specialising in finance, technology, construction and property. He is a self-proclaimed charmer but doesn’t think he needs a ‘USP’ to win; consistency and sincerity will put him ahead.
He says: “I'll play the team when I need to be part of the team, but I'm here to win; I'm not here to make up the numbers.”
Rebecca Jeffery
Age: 31
Occupation: Owner, Design & Marketing Agency
Lives: Greater Manchester
Rebecca is the owner of a marketing and design business, working as both the account manager and creative director. She prides herself on being relentless and possessing an infectious enthusiasm, but admits that numbers and calculations are a weakness for her.
She says: “People often foolishly mistake my enthusiasm for silliness or positivity for naivety. I’m proof that you can get things done without whinging.”
Samuel Boateng
Age: 27
Occupation: Sales Manager, Major Car Brand
Lives: London
Samuel is responsible for managing and generating new business for over 700 businesses across London. He regards his ability in developing new and innovative ideas to be his strongest business skill. He says he has excellent public speaking abilities and admits he will be ‘on the charm offensive’, but doesn’t want to seem an easy target.
He says: “My creativity, my passion, my charm, and my likeability all roll into one, creating one perfect guy.”
Sofiane Khelfa
Age: 32
Occupation: Senior Sales Executive, Technology
Lives: Essex
Sofiane works in a high-end retail store, negotiating technology sales with high profile clients. He says he has the ability to adapt, deliver and build lasting relations with people in business, but his friends would say that he can sometimes be overzealous. He believes when he gets down to business, his skills and personality will shine through.
He says: “The best survivors in the world are the people who adapt, and I’m the best at adapting. I’m like a chameleon. I adapt to anything, anywhere, anytime.”
Trishna Thakrar
Age: 28
Occupation: Recruitment Agent, IT
Lives: London
Trishna works for a large IT company to provide internal recruitment services. She used to play football semi- professionally, and says her friends would describe her as engaging and funny. She believes her best business skill lies in her charm, but suspects her sensitivity could be her downfall as, if you cross her, she will not hold back.
She says: “My only tactic is to be myself; this alone will make sure I win.”