A winner of The Apprentice was left with just £90 and no husband after a legal row with Lord Alan Sugar.
Stella English, who won the 2010 series of the show, went on to be labelled an “overpaid lackey” by the business mogul.
She resigned from her £85,000 banking job when she spotted an advert for the show, and even turned down a £100,000 bonus as bosses tried to keep her on.
Stella also boasted three houses and a Porsche, living a life of luxury before it all went down hill following her TV success, reports OK!.
Despite her comfortable life, Stella described the opportunity as “like winning the lottery”.
(Image: PA)
It wasn’t long before the reality of her new role at Lord Sugar’s computer company Viglen, after winning the hit show, hit home. Stella reportedly described the job as being “nothing like she thought it would be”.
At the time, an insider said: “She was very disappointed and felt like a glorified PA – and told Lord Sugar exactly what she thought.
“She was not doing the kind of things you’d envisage a top-flight career girl doing.”
(Image: PA)
Despite moving roles within Lord Sugar’s business empire, Stella was still unhappy. Eventually she resigned and then attempted to sue Lord Sugar for constructive dismissal.
At the tribunal in 2013 Stella claimed that Lord Sugar told her that he “didn’t give a s*** if she left his company”. However, the panel did not find in her favour.
Lord Sugar accused her of trying to get an out of court settlement and said: “I’m afraid she underestimated me and her reputation is now in tatters.”
(Image: PA)
He then tried to counter sue his ex-employee for costs of £50,000 – though the panel ruled that she should not have to pay any of his legal fees.
The media attention and stress caused Stella’s life and marriage to fall apart. Stella told the Mirror: “The day my husband left me he said ‘I wish you had never done that show’.”
“All I wanted to know is if he loved me, so I asked the question. I said ‘Do you love me,’ but he wouldn’t answer me.
(Image: Twitter)
“So I asked him again and he just stared at me and said ‘No’. I tried to reason with him but he wouldn’t have it. He just got in his car and drove off.
“I don’t blame him, I feel sorry for him. He couldn’t stand the stress of it. We got through the tribunal but when Sugar’s cost application came that was the final straw.
“We were dreading letters from the tribunal and the bailiffs. He was just sick to death of it.
“He was seeing the woman he loved being jeered at by people in the street, reduced to nothing and he couldn’t take it. That’s the one thing I regret, I put all this stuff before him. I haven’t even begun to digest the split.”
(Image: PA)
Stella then hit an all time low point. She struggled to get a job, had just £90 in the bank and had to borrow cash from friends.
She previously said: “I wish I had never gone on The Apprentice. I’m broke and on my knees. I just don’t know how I’m going to carry on.”
Thankfully she turned her life around and found work as a management consultant. In 2016 she found happiness again with boyfriend, snooker player Ali Carter.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
