Lord Alan Sugar has crowned the winner of The Apprentice 2025, after a tense final.
Over 12 weeks, 18 ambitious entrepreneurs have been whittled down to the final two, with Anisa Khan going head to head with Dean Franklin.
In tonight’s episode, it was revealed Essex-based contestant Dean had secured the investment and become Lord Sugar’s 19th business partner from The Apprentice.
After the infamous final five interviews stage, following weeks of tasks involving hot sauce, Easter eggs, and their own sustainable fashion lines, fusion pizza-restaurateur Anisa and AC company owner Dean fought to win the competition one last time.
Joined by some of the candidates fired earlier in the series, the pair brought their business plans to life before taking on the biggest pitch of their lives to Lord Sugar and industry experts.
Get personalised updates on The Apprentice
Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.
And after a last impassioned speech to the businessman and his aides Tim Campbell MBE and Baroness Karren Brady, Lord Sugar made his decision, saying: ‘This is the way I see it. Dean, through the process you’ve been quite good.
‘There’ve been a few rocky moments where you remained in it by the skin of your teeth, but do I have the confidence in the residential market?
‘As opposed to food where everyone’s got to eat, and a £10, £12 pizza is affordable to most people. That’s where I am at the moment.’
He added: ‘I’ve given it deep consideration. I’m going to say that, Dean you’re going to be my business partner.’
Hearing about his win, Dean said: ‘I can’t believe I’ve just won The Apprentice. This is going to mean the world to me and my family. My kids are going to be over the moon.’
In an interview with Metro, he added: ‘I manifested this, to be honest.
‘For years, I’ve been saying to my friends and family that I’m going to go on the show and I’m going to win it, but then you get chucked into the deep end and you realise how hard it is and you start thinking, “Maybe not, maybe I won’t win this”.
‘But I signed up to the process to win it, not just take part or get on the show.
‘I signed up to become his business partner and to actually have done it is just amazing.’
Recalling the experience as a whole, Dean said he loved every single minute, calling the competition ‘great fun’.
‘There were just so many great things that we’ve done that you’re never, ever going to get to do again in your life and I just loved it and appreciated every moment,’ he said.
Despite ‘struggling’ during some moments and fearing he wouldn’t make it to the final, Dean claimed his win came after owning up to his mistakes.
He said: ‘The reason I’ve done so well is because I would own up to it and that’s what I think played to my strengths.’
He added: ‘Lord Sugar liked me, and I think you’ve got to like someone to go into business with them, and we got along and had banter in the boardroom, a few jokes here and there.
‘I told it how it was, I don’t speak with big, long sentences, I just say it how it is and I think he appreciated that.
‘Like he said, I think he sees a lot of himself in me and that’s a compliment.’
The star will now be using Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment for expanding his AC company, an industry he ‘fell into’ and worked his way up after starting out as an apprentice.
Dean created his own company during the hot summers over the Covid-19 lockdowns, when demand for AC units were at a high.
‘I jumped at the opportunity, put all my eggs in one basket, took the risk, made the jump and haven’t looked back,’ he said.
During his pitch in the final, Dean told Lord Sugar he’d be on track to make £1,000,000 and is now ready to set on that path.
‘Let’s see how far we can take it, a million is just the first step,’ he told us.
When asked about being Lord Sugar’s newest business partner, he added: ‘It feels so surreal, it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I haven’t stopped to think about it… I’m just taking it as it comes and rolling with it at the moment.
‘If I was to stop and think about it… it’s an amazing achievement and not a lot of people have done it.’
Not only has Dean won the £250,000, but also received mentorship and guidance from the business mogul.
‘I’ve already got a successful business in my eyes, it’s doing well and we would always do well,’ he shared. ‘But what Lord Sugar can bring to the table, not many people can.
‘He’s going to open so many doors and opportunities that will put this company on a rocket ship. This is just going to take off.’
He added: ‘I’m just excited for what the future holds.’
The Apprentice UK Series 19 is available to watch in full on BBC iPlayer
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.