The new Apprentices

Sir Alan Sugar with the lucky 14 applicants

11 April 2012

They include an ex-Millwall football player, a martial arts expert and a former supermarket checkout girl - not to mention the cousin of a British cult comedy star.

But they have at least one thing in common: they all believe they have the tycoon touch. These 14 men and women are the aspiring big shots in the second series of the BBC's hit reality TV show The Apprentice.

Over 12 weeks they will compete to win the respect of Amstrad boss Sir Alan Sugar and the top prize of a high-flying job with a six-figure salary.

One of the youngest contenders is London management consultant Alexa Tilley, 28. The Cambridge-educated economics graduate aspired to be an entrepreneur even while at school, when she was managing director of her own company at just 18.

Her altogether more flamboyant-claim to fame is that Little Britain star Matt Lucas is her cousin.

The programme's comedy characters include a socially stunted office worker whose catchphrase is: "Computer says no." One imagines Sir Alan will be expecting rather better office manners.

Ms Tilley insists she shares at least one family trait with Lucas - a distinct lack of shyness. "I'm not one of those people who really cares a lot what people think of me," she said.

More than 10,000 hopefuls applied to take part in the new series of The Apprentice. The final 14, aged between 25 and 39, have all now quit their jobs for the show.

Ansell Henry, 34, left school at 16 to play professionally for Millwall for four years, then became a sales manager. "I want to test myself against the best because I don't have a great educational background," he said.

IT consultant Ben Stanberry, 33, from Richmond, recently beat cancer. "I'm very tough," he said. "And I'm impatient with people I think are too egotistical or self-pitying."

Ford product developer Samuel Judah, 35, a black belt in jujitsu and wing chun, claims the martial arts have taught him not to "panic and lose your head".

Tuan Le, 27, has turned his life around since arriving from Vietnam as a child refugee. He left school early to earn money to help his parents but is now a successful financial adviser.

Michelle Dewberry is a former checkout girl turned telecoms consultant, while Nargis Aga, 38, is a tough-talking single mother studying for a PhD.

"One of them is going to get a job working for me," said Sir Alan. "But they are going to have to prove to me that they have the business acumen, the brains, the intelligence and the entrepreneurial spirit I need.

"The winning apprentice will help run one of my multi-million pound companies. This is not a game. It is for real."

LINE-UP'S LIFE ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE

1. ANSELL HENRY, 34 Career: ex-footballer turned sales manager Qualifications: left school at 16 to join Millwall FC Lives: Brighton
2. PAUL TULIP, 26 Career: headhunter Qualifications: degree in business and sport Lives: Leeds
3. BEN STANBERRY, 33 Career: IT consultant Qualifications: Master's degree in law. Lives: Richmond, Surrey
4. MANI SANDLER, 39 Career: management consultant Qualifications: BSc in physics Lives: London
5. SAMUEL JUDAH, 35 Career: product developer Qualifications: degree in manufacturing engineering Lives: Buckhurst Hill
6. TUAN LE, 27 Career: financial adviser Qualifications: nine GCSEs and two A-levels Lives: Weston-super-Mare (born Saigon)
7. SYED AHMED, 31 Career: entrepreneur Qualifications: HND in business and finance Lives: London (born Bangladesh)
8. RUTH BADGER, 27 Career: sales manager Qualifications: seven GCSEs Lives: Wolverhampton
9. ALEXA TILLEY, 28 Career: management consultant Qualifications: BA in economics Lives: London
10. SHARON McALLISTER, 30 Career: business lecturer Qualifications: BA in corporate communication Lives: Stirling
11. JO CAMERON, 35 Career: HR manager Qualifications: Masters in human resources management Lives: Leamington Spa
12. NARGIS AGA, 38 Career: PhD student Qualifications: Hons degree in pharmacy Lives: London (born Bangladesh)
13. MICHELLE DEWBERRY, 26 Career: telecoms consultant Qualifications: GCSEs and professional qualifications Lives: London (born Hull)
14. KAREN BREMNER, 34 Career: lawyer Qualifications: Diploma in legal practice and LLB degree Lives: Newbiggin

The new series of The Apprentice starts at 9pm on 22 February on BBC2.

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Alan Sugar

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The new Apprentices

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