The Apprentice – Meet the Boys

(l-r) Michael Copp, Azhar Siddique, Nick Holzherr, Tom Gearing, Duane Bryan, Adam Corbally, Ricky Martin, Stephen Brady. Image: BBC/Talkback Thames/Jim Marks
Meet the boys hoping to become Lord Alan Sugar’s next Apprentice when the hit BBC One show returns for an eighth series on Wednesday 21 March.

Adam Corbally
Age: 32
Occupation: Market Trader
Lives: Derbyshire, UK
Father of two Adam loves swimming, playing football and cycling. Adam says that he is confident and enthusiastic but that he is not ashamed to show his emotions. Adam’s first job was stacking bread at his local Co-op. He now runs a wholesale and retail fruit and veg business and manages his own property portfolio. He wishes he was the brains behind Virgin Galactic because he feels it is innovative, a world first, and offers people the chance to have their dreams come true. Adam organises the annual turning on of the Christmas lights in his local community.

He says: “I get too excited, but that shows my passion, it shows my drive and it shows my ability.”

Azhar Siddique
Age: 33
Occupation: Founder and Managing Director of Catering and Refrigeration Company
Lives: Manchester, UK
Thrill seeker Azhar enjoys shark diving and has two pet sharks. He feels his biggest strengths are his professionalism and integrity but also admits that he gets very restless very quickly. In his spare time Azhar enjoys strength training and Muay Thai and loves scuba diving due to his passion for marine life. Azhar is inspired by the IKEA brand and admires its founder, Invgar Kamprad, for always sticking to his high self-imposed standards.

He says: “It’s not who shouts the loudest; it’s who has the ability to control the conversation.”

Duane Bryan
Age: 29
Occupation: Founder/Director of Drinks Distribution Company
Lives: Manchester, UK
Have a go hero Duane once chased and caught a hit and run driver trying to flee the scene of a crash. He says that his biggest strength in business is his creativity but that his attention to detail can be somewhat lacking. Duane enjoys going out to bars and nightclubs in his spare time and says he is inspired by the Jaegermeister brand. He has met Tony Blair as part of a voluntary group.

He says: “I am a winner and I am a fighter, in order to be the best you’ve got to beat the best.”

Michael Copp
Age: 31
Occupation: MD Kitchen and Bedroom Furniture Retailer
Lives: London, UK
Michael says his biggest strength is his positivity but admits that he can be impatient. In his spare time Michael enjoys fishing, walking and boxing. Michael, who is dyslexic, wishes he had worked harder at school and regrets leaving at 15 and not finishing his education. He would have liked to have been the brains behind Apple as he admires the way they cornered the market with their products and set themselves apart from their rivals.

He says: “I’m better than unique; I’m naturally gifted in business.”

Nick Holzherr
Age: 25
Occupation: Technology Entrepreneur
Lives: Birmingham, UK
Nick, who lived in Switzerland for seven years as a child, was named ‘emerging entrepreneur of the year’ by Insider Magazine in 2010. When Nick was nine years old he earned money by selling lost golf balls back to golfers. He enjoys playing squash, snowboarding and cooking, and loves buying kitchen gadgets. Nick feels his intelligence is one of his strengths but knows his impatient nature can sometimes make him come across as arrogant. He would like to build and sell his own businesses before becoming an investor in start-up companies, and cites Steve Jobs as an inspiration.

He says: “I’ve got lots of ideas, I know how to whittle them down into ideas that will work and I’ve got what it takes to make them actually happen.”

Ricky Martin
Age: 26
Occupation: Recruitment Team Leader
Lives: Hampshire, UK
By day Ricky is a successful recruitment manager operating across the UK science industries, and by night and weekend a heavy hitting professional wrestler. Ricky, who has an Honours degree in Biochemistry, spends his spare time competing at wrestling events and is also an amateur body builder, training five to six times a week. Ricky recently got engaged to his girlfriend, and says his greatest strength is his people skills and that his weakness is that he is a perfectionist. Ricky wishes he was the brains behind Facebook and once played tennis against Tim Henman at Wimbledon.

He says: “I truly am the reflection of perfection.”

Stephen Brady
Age: 33
Occupation: National Sales Manager
Lives: Vienna, Austria
Ireland born Stephen loves learning new languages, reading and writing stories. Stephen says that he is a focused and down to earth person who is inspired by Muhammad Ali. He feels it is important to make every day count and tries to live life to the absolute limit. Stephen, who once lived in New York, has a passion for sport and the outdoors and once played in the FA Cup as a semi-professional footballer.

He says: “Enthusiasm is a huge asset of mine and I believe it’s caught and not taught.”

Tom Gearing
Age: 23
Occupation: Director of a Fine Wine Investment Company
Lives: London, UK
Tom feels his biggest strength is his self-assurance but says that he can sometimes be over-confident. He also admits he isn’t great at handling early morning starts. Tom enjoys going to music events and West Ham football matches in his spare time and also plays golf, tennis and football for a Sunday League team. Tom’s passions are fine dining and wine and he also loves travelling around the world. He is inspired by Candy & Candy and wishes he was the brains behind ASOS.

He says: “I’m confident, charismatic and some people say I’m quite good looking, so that adds to the bill.”

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