I sensationally QUIT The Apprentice after just two tasks – now I’m a huge success… I didn’t want Lord Sugar’s money

SHE may have quit The Apprentice and squandered any chance of winning Lord Sugar’s £250k investment, but Shannon Martin insists she has no regrets.

The businesswoman, who appeared on the show's seventeenth season last year, shocked viewers when she withdrew from the show after two tasks.

2

2

However, Shannon insists she "hasn't regretted" leaving the iconic boardroom "for a single second," YorkshireLive reported.

At the time of her sensational departure, the bridal boutique boss admitted she struggled to concentrate while her Yorkshire-based business was taking off back home.

"I just really felt like I couldn’t focus on the tasks because I was constantly thinking about what was going on at home," she said following her exit.

The mum-of-two from Huddersfield added that she didn't need Lord Sugar's investment or guidance for her boutique bridal business to excel.

And her hunch looks to be paying off.

Last month, Shannon's boutique Dotty Bridal in Holmfirth was crowned 'UK Bridal Retailer of the Year’ at the prestigious 2024 Wedding Industry Awards.

A self-styled fan of The Apprentice, Shannon first applied to be a candidate in 2014 with a business idea for a pre-loved wedding dress store.

But it would take eight more years before she would finally be selected.

"It was all a bit of a whirlwind when I applied again in 2022,” Shannon said.

“I said after I was told to go away and start my business in 2014 that I’d do that and apply again, as I’ve always loved the show.

“Within a short space of time I was told I was on that series, which was due to start in a matter of weeks.

"It did make me feel like there was a genuine interest in me and my business.”

And while her tenure on the show was brief, Shannon had only good things to say about Sir Alan.

She continued: “Lord Sugar is exactly like what you see on the television in real life.

"There’s no pretence with him and I like that.

“When I announced in the boardroom that I was leaving, he told the other candidates it was an indication of how tough the process was, but it wasn’t that. It just wasn’t right for me.

“As I was doing the tasks, I found myself questioning why I was there, and whether I really wanted him to have 50% ownership of my business for a £250,000 investment.

“I’d worked so hard, and built a great team, so ultimately decided I didn’t want to go on and win the investment. I wanted control of my own destiny.

“Of course, I may not have gone on and won, and if I had I know Lord Sugar would have had a hugely positive impact for us, but I’ve not regretted walking away for a single second."

BUSINESS IS BOOMING

Dotty Bridal achieved a record turnover in the past year, just 24 months after the industry was on its knees amid punishing lockdowns during the pandemic.

“This all started from when I was thinking about my own experience buying my own wedding dress, and it was a disappointment," the boutique boss revealed.

"I’d had a more personal experience when I was buying a bra.

“We provide a great location, a great environment, and a team of highly trained stylists and experts in body shape who guide our brides to finding the dress for them whilst doing a job they all adore.

“To come out as the very best in the UK shows we have got things right and provide a great experience, which is what I set out to do.

"I want big things for Dotty Bridal, and always have, and that was actually the main reason for me leaving The Apprentice like I did.

"I’ve no regrets.”

It comes as the stunning fleet of motors belonging to The Apprentice star Karren Brady was revealed - including a £200,000 Bentley and a string of Range Rovers.

The renowned businesswoman and Sun columnist confessed to being a "bit of a girl racer" and has owned a number of fast, flashy and luxurious motors.

Described by Baroness Brady as her "dream car", a cluster of Range Rover motors has been the beating heart of her stable across the years.