Who won The Apprentice 2024? Rachel Woolford crowned winner of season 18
Lord Sugar has found his next business partner.
After 12 weeks of early mornings, gruelling tasks and savage firings, The Apprentice 2024 has come to an end.
At the beginning of the process, 18 candidates all entered the infamous boardroom and one-by-one, sometimes two, they were fired and the group became smaller and smaller until there were just a couple of contenders left vying to be Lord Alan Sugar's next business partner.
And following tonight's final (18th April), it was Rachel Woolford who was crowned the winner of this year's The Apprentice.
She and Phil Turner had to create a new brand for their company, produce a digital billboard and make a TV advert before pitching to industry experts and Lord Sugar himself.
In the final boardroom, Lord Sugar, Karren Brady and Tim Campbell all gave their thoughts on the finalists' performances before the ultimate decision was made.
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After one last pitch from each candidate as to why they should be his business partner, Lord Sugar made his final decision and said: "Let me conclude here. This is a very tough decision, I've got to say, 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 OK, and that's my dilemma."
But he did find his own light at the end of the tunnel and told Rachel she was going to be his next business partner!
"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," Lord Sugar said.
Rachel expressed her gratitude and said that taking part in the process had been "incredible".
"To come out a winner is just something beyond my wildest dreams. I was 24 years old when I started my business. I was just a girl from Leeds and now I cannot believe it, I’m going into business with Lord Sugar and he's investing in me."
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In an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com about her win, Rachel joked that she was dealing with imposter syndrome, even months after she filmed the show.
"Being told I was a winner was very overwhelming and did not feel real," she admitted.
"I think after going through the 10 tasks, the final five and then the pitch, it was such a gruelling process [and] I completely understand why. I'm happy to admit I suffer with imposter syndrome, it's pretty crazy!"
The Apprentice is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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