Shannon Martin: The Apprentice 2023 candidate boasts of '£1m' West Yorkshire business as first hopeful fired

The West Yorkshire businesswoman is one of the candidates on The Apprentice 2023 and the owner of Dotty Bridal and Off The Peg boutiques in Holmfirth, battling it out with 17 other entrepreneurs in the hopes of becoming Lord Alan Sugar’s latest business partner. If Shannon emerges victorious on this year’s show, she will become the first contestant to bring Lord Sugar into the bridal industry.

The first episode, which aired on BBC One at 9pm, kicked off with Lord Sugar meeting the candidates in the boardroom, where he told them he was looking for a business partner who would offer him a “serious return on his investment”. The hopefuls were flown out to Antigua and tasked with running a holiday tour.

After making introductions, Shannon quickly boasted to her fellow candidates that she had “one of the best bridal shops in the UK” – which she revealed was worth close to £2million.

Former flight attendant Victoria Goulbourne stepped up as project manager for the girls team, with Shannon joining her to negotiate a price for their guided Catamaran boat tour. There were heated arguments about the best location to sell tickets – with Claude Littner later chiding the candidates in the boardroom for “bickering” – and a cringe-worthy moment on the tour when the holidaymakers were led in a dance.

Meanwhile, the boys team organised a guided history tour – and back in the boardroom, they were unveiled as the winners, bringing a total profit of $989 compared to the $487.50 brought in by the girls.

Shannon escaped the firing line in the boardroom, with project manager Victoria bringing back senior account executive Emma Browne and court advocate Marnie Swindells to face Lord Sugar. Emma was the first candidate to be fired Lord Sugar sent – as she was accused of starting arguments and causing “disruption” to the team.

The next episode of The Apprentice airs on BBC One on Thursday, January 12 at 9pm.