Dr Paul Midha and Rachel Woolford: Who are Yorkshire candidates from Leeds competing for Alan Sugar’s £250,000 investment on The Apprentice 2024?

The series will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on February 1, 2024 at 9pm and will see the return of Alan Sugar and his two advisors Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell MBE.

Out of 18, the series will be welcoming four ambitious Yorkshire candidates who will compete for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment.

Here is everything we know so far about Yorkshire candidates Dental Group owner, Dr Paul Midha and boutique fitness studio owner, Rachel Woolford.

Who is Dr Paul Midha from The Apprentice?

Dr Paul, from Leeds, began his dental practice using up every resource available and will use his extensive learning from studying as a dentist to go for the gold on the show and learn all about the world of business.

When asked what his biggest business success is, he said: “After graduating as a dentist, I diligently saved a 20% deposit upon the acquisition of my first dental practice and invested every resource, leaving just £100 in my account, and dedicated myself to the practice.

“Over 15 months of unwavering dedication, the practice’s valuation soared to an astounding £900,000 - an exceptional growth of over five times its initial value.”

Dr Paul shared his biggest business failure: “Every setback I’ve encountered has, in hindsight, played a pivotal role in subsequent successes.

“However, one significant underestimation on my part was the timeline for completing the acquisition of a dental practice, which took 14 months.

“While this phase was demanding, it offered profound lessons in resilience and adaptability and ultimately made me a better businessperson.”

Dr Paul’s expertise in body-popping has been a talent not many people are aware of and has resulted in him winning various talent shows during his youth, including Britain’s Got Talent.

He said that it has “opened doors, leading me to an exciting opportunity as an extra in a Disney TV show.”

When asked why he deserves Lord Sugar’s investment, he said: “Presenting a product-based business plan to Lord Sugar, I aim to revolutionise the healthcare attire market.

“When executed adeptly, this approach has the potential to secure a substantial market share. I am ready for the extensive learning ahead, understanding that I have much to gain and a long yet rewarding journey ahead.”

Who is Rachel Woolford from The Apprentice?

The boutique fitness studio owner, also from Leeds, has been savvy in business from a very young age and has had plenty of experience managing her work independently.

When she was just seven years old, she temporarily went missing and when her frantic and worried mother found her, she was by the roadside selling her toys while shaking a biscuit tin full of coins and shouting, “toys for sale, everything must go today!”

Her biggest success story in business to date is when she opened her business in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic and created a strong community of clients who “loved the service we provided, despite all the restrictions and limitations in place.”

She admits that not asking for help is her biggest business failure.

“For a long time, I did absolutely everything in my business - teaching classes, payroll, cleaning, accounts - you name it, I was doing it,” she said.

“Once I learnt that it’s ok to delegate and outsource some of these jobs, I started to scale my business. I finally understood the phrase ‘work on your business, not in it’.”

When asked why she deserves the investment, she said: “Anyone in business must work hard, but I work harder!”