The Apprentice is one of the most ferocious television shows on the box. The competition sees 12 candidates fight it out for the opportunity to receive a £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar.

There was extra local interest this year, as one of our own made it all the way through to the final two. Scarlett Allen-Horton was consistent throughout the competition but eventually fell at the final hurdle as she was beaten by artisan bakery-owner Carina Lapore.

All-Women Final

For the first time in a long time, the final two in the competition were both women. It was something that Baroness Karen Brady was extremely excited about, and she spoke glowingly about how both candidates have performed throughout the process.

Allen-Horton gave her all in the final and came within a whisker of winning the money. As Lord Sugar admitted that the fact that he opted for the bakery was down to the fact that he already has two recruitment companies on his books, and that was the business idea that Allen-Horton came in with.

However, she was somewhat unfortunate as her fresh idea was a revolutionary one that was applauded by industry experts after she had given her final presentation. Allen-Horton impressed as she looked outside the box by offering a recruitment company that would aim at bringing women and ethnic minorities into high-ranking positions within the motor industry.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t able to win Lord Sugar’s money, as Lapore impressed throughout the competition. She won nine of the ten weeks and dazzled potential suitors in her presentation with a high-quality marketing campaign, including an advert.

Allen-Horton Showed Fight

Brady alluded to the strength of Allen-Horton throughout the competition. She claimed that: “When Scarlett walked into the boardroom at first, you could just tell – from the way she carried herself, her poise, her confidence – that she was one to watch.”

The Brummie won the first week of the show after taking on the role of project leader despite the task involving working out of her comfort zone. During that first week, she operated as a tour leader around South Africa.

She is destined for success despite the defeat in the final, and she claims that her early life is the reason for her profound strength. She gave birth at the age of 20, before giving birth for the second time aged 24. However, her strength came to the fore when her children’s father was sentenced to eight years in prison for his part in the supply of Class A drugs. She later claimed that her decision to leave him was the ‘right decision’.

All of these life-changing moments would have had an impact on her professional life, and it is a testament to her character that she was able to overcome them to get to the top of her profession.