I lied on my CV but won The Apprentice – I phoned in ill on my first day working with Alan Sugar..now I’m worth millions

AN APPRENTICE winner has admitted to lying on his CV and phoning in sick on his first day working for Alan Sugar - but he's now worth millions.

Lee McQueen, 45, won season four of the hit BBC show a whopping 16-years-ago but has since gone on to be worth over £1.1million.

4

4

Lee shot to fame on the show for his charming looks and funny personality but his most memorable moment came when he was grilled for lying on his CV.

The TV star said he finished his university stretch just like millions have before him but in fact he dropped out after just four months.

He also baffled fans with his impression of a "reverse pterodactyl" during the final interview stage and left fans in hysterics with his catchphrase "that's what I'm talking about!".

After coming out victorious on The Apprentice, Lee worked for Sir Alan Sugar’s Amshold company as a development director.

But his first day didn't quite go to plan.

Lee told Lord Sugar that he was struck down with a virus so he couldn't come into work but his untimely absence coincided with the hottest day of the year.

Here however, he developed Amscreen-branded digital display advertising products for the outdoor market.

But after two years in the role, Lee left to set up Raw Talent Academy to encourage organisations to look beyond university graduates for new talent.

At the time he said "Having gained a huge amount of experience in my role at Amscreen, I felt now was the right time to start up on my own".

He is currently the founder and CEO of Phoenix 51, a talent assessment platform where he has made millions.

Pheonix 51 describes the company as an "award winning software business".

Their official website continues: "Phoenix51 is a powerful employee technology enabling organisations to make data driven decisions at every stage of the employee journey from hiring through to bench marking and people development.

"The platform provides detailed analytics on the most important asset in your business; your people. We enable organisations not only to make the correct hiring decisions, but also how to benchmark, train and retain them."

Lee was even named as Oxfordshire Young Businessperson of the Year in 2015 for his work as a business coach and mentor.

But after more than a decade and a half, the successful businessman is married with three daughters and living out in Oxfordshire.

He regularly updates his beloved fans through his social media and gives them a glimpse inside his busy family life - including luxury holidays and his diehard support for Tottenham Hotspur.

Another entrepreneur who starred on The Apprentice is 30-year-old Stephanie Affleck.

She signed up to the show after a random Google search and has said her business has boomed since being fired on the show.

Stephanie is currently in the process of securing investment for her pre-loved children’s clothing business – Little Fashion House.

She now dreams of turning the popular brand into the marketplace concept she went onto The Apprentice for.

But she only had her business for a month before appearing on the BBC reality TV show.

Standing by his £350,000 green Lamborghini outside his new offices, Apprentice winner Joseph Valente told The Sun how it feels to tell Lord Sugar: “You’re fired.”

The ex-plumber, 34, says when he axed his partnership with the tycoon after 18 months it felt key to regaining control of his boiler installation firm.

And he reveals it was an apparent dig from the Amstrad boss when the firm hit the skids two years later, with debts of almost £2million, that spurred him to launch a new mentoring empire which he says is now worth £10million.

In fact Joseph is not the only show winner to ditch dealing with Lord Sugar. 

It was recently revealed the entrepreneur has parted company with eight of his past 12 victors of the reality show.

4

4