Delighted Yorkshire entrepreneur to open more gyms after becoming Lord Sugar's business partner

Harrogate’s triumphant winner of this year’s The Apprentice has been talking on TV this morning on how she cried during last night’s screening.
By Graham Chalmers
Published 19th Apr 2024, 10:02 BST
Updated 22nd Apr 2024, 09:36 BST
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Speaking on the sofa on BBC Breakfast, successful gym-owning entrepreneur Rachel Woolford said only her parents and fiancé had known in advance that she had been picked as Lord Sugar’s new business partner.

And this true Yorkshire businesswoman admitted there had been some rare tears when watching the final on TV in Leeds last night after keeping the result secret for so long.

"I don't usually cry but about 90% of the people around me didn't know the result,” said Rachel, who was a student at Gateways School and The Grammar School at Leeds.

She's won - Harrogate's gym-owning entrepreneur Rachel Woolford who was picked to be Lord Sugar's new business partner on last night's final of BBC TV's The Apprentice (Picture contributed)She's won - Harrogate's gym-owning entrepreneur Rachel Woolford who was picked to be Lord Sugar's new business partner on last night's final of BBC TV's The Apprentice (Picture contributed)
She's won - Harrogate's gym-owning entrepreneur Rachel Woolford who was picked to be Lord Sugar's new business partner on last night's final of BBC TV's The Apprentice (Picture contributed)

"To see their reactions when I won got to me."

Hard-working Rachel founded North Studio, her boutique fitness studio, in 2020 in Leeds before launching a second gym in Harrogate at Wellington House on Cold Bath Road.

In the final episode, which was broadcast last night after being filmed months ago, Rachel and her rival for top prize, pie company owner Phil Turner, had to pitch their business ideas to a room of experts, creating digital adverts and branding.

The £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar means she can now follow her strategy of expanding her number of gyms.

The £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar means Harrogate's Rachel Woolford can now follow her strategy of expanding her number of gyms. (Picture contributed)The £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar means Harrogate's Rachel Woolford can now follow her strategy of expanding her number of gyms. (Picture contributed)
The £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar means Harrogate's Rachel Woolford can now follow her strategy of expanding her number of gyms. (Picture contributed)

The third gym in her North Studio business, she revealed, was likely to be in Newcastle or Yorkshire.

Speaking to the BBC, Rachel said: "I went on The Apprentice with the hopes to expand my business and now I've come out of it as Lord Sugar's business partner, and the guarantee that my business and studio is going to grow."

Rachel was praised for handling the boardroom battles in Britain's toughest job interview with a calm assurance and quiet steel throughout this year’s series of the long-running reality TV show.

North Studio boutique gyms offer flexible payment options which mean customers don’t need to make any fixed financial commitments like a usual monthly gym membership, although memberships are available.

Passes and memberships can be used across both Harrogate and Leeds studios.

More information at: https://northstudioharrogate.co.uk/welcome-to-north-studio/