Who won The Apprentice 2026? Lord Sugar’s next business partner revealed

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After a grueling 12 weeks, the final two contestants on The Apprentice faced off for Lord Alan Sugar’s investment in a winner-takes-all showdown.

At the start of the year, twenty hopeful entrepreneurs entered the well-known boardroom, each with a detailed business plan and the ambition of winning a £250,000 investment and becoming the next partner.

As the weeks passed, the number of candidates quickly dwindled, leaving only Pascha Myhill and Karishma Vijay as the final two contenders.

Wow, after a lot of back and forth, it was Karishma Vijay who ultimately won this season of The Apprentice! I was really rooting for her, and I’m so glad she pulled it off.

Tonight on the show, the finalists officially launched their businesses to a panel of industry professionals and familiar faces from the show’s history. This included past judges Margaret Mountford and Nick Hewer, as well as three impressive winners from previous seasons: Dr. Leah Totton, Ricky Martin, and Dean Franklin.

Finally, Lord Sugar, Karren Brady, and Tim Campbell gathered in the boardroom one last time to discuss the finalists and their presentations, ultimately deciding who would be hired.

After listening to final presentations from Pascha and Karishma explaining why they’d be the best business partner, Lord Sugar announced his decision. He told them, “Ladies, I’ve been in business a long time, and it’s tough to succeed. I’ve helped build many successful people, and I do see potential in the skincare industry.”

I’ve been thinking this over carefully, and after following your insights for the past 12 weeks, I’ve decided to invest in Karishma. I have experience with recruitment and understand the industry, and you’ve convinced me that the care home market is currently strong.

Karishma started the investment process hoping to turn her company, Kishkin, into a worldwide success.

Karishma was thrilled to be hired, but also a little overwhelmed. She joked about constantly needing to ask Lord Sugar for guidance, as she was used to working at her own speed. Now, she feels the pressure to prove he made the right choice in selecting her. She believes this experience will be unforgettable, unlike anything else in her life – even more significant than her recent engagement!

Karishma described the last moments in the boardroom as “completely unreal” in a recent interview with TopMob.

It sounds like a cliché, but I remember Lord Sugar telling me to be concise right from the very first boardroom meeting. Then, a few meetings later, he was struggling to recall my name, which was a bit awkward.

Karishma explained that she used to be okay with everything, but it felt different when he pointed to her and happily announced his decision. He clearly believed she would be financially successful, and in that moment, they shared a connection – a mutual understanding and agreement.

Leaving aside the investment aspect, Karishma feels she and Lord Sugar share a surprising amount in common – they both come from similar backgrounds and have achieved a lot since where they started.

Even though he’s had a much longer career than I have, I see a bit of myself in him,” she shared with TopMob. “I think we’re both very authentic and honest in how we approach business. I’m really proud he recognized my potential and what I’m capable of, especially during that moment.

“He saw my personality come out as well in the final and he chose me, and I was so happy.”

The Apprentice is available to watch on catch-up on BBC iPlayer.

Authors

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah writes about entertainment for TopMob, covering everything from popular TV shows and reality competitions to important documentaries. Before joining TopMob, she worked at The Tab, where she focused on reality TV and celebrity news. She has a degree in Journalism.

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2026-04-17 00:36