Sugar: YouÂ’re hired!

Apprentice winner is finally announced...

09:32 20 December 2010

Stella English was crowned winner of The Apprentice last night, after being told she was “hired” by Lord Sugar.

The 31-year-old beat fellow contestant Chris Bates to win the show and will work as a product manager for SugarÂ’s company Viglen, a computer manufacturing firm.

Holding back her tears, English said: “Thank you, Lord Sugar. Thank you.”

After being told the good news, she later said: “To think that little Stella could be the winner of The Apprentice is unbelievable.

“I'm so excited about the future - it's all been worth it, all that blood, sweat and tears has been worth it.”

Lord Sugar was full of praise for his new employee, of whom he said: “What I’ve seen over the past weeks Stella is that clearly you are a great organiser of people. You do know how to handle a team.

“Well liked and determined to get on with whatever you’re asked to do, I’ve also taken note of where you have come from; the fact that at an early age you never had any qualifications and then went out of your way to train yourself.

“That shows me a lot of determination.”

English and Bates had found out at the beginning of the show that they were to complete one last task where they would launch and new sprit-based drink aimed at the over-25s. The drink would cost £25 and were given just three days to complete a campaign.

Using former contestants from the show, each finalist chose four of them each to choose a spirit to market and name it.

It was StellaÂ’s drink Bourbon, however, which Lord Sugar was impressed with the most after she delivered a stunning speech, recorded an interesting advert and chose a stylish bottle for the product.