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| Apprentice winner tells employment tribunal she thought of quitting show | Apprentice winner tells employment tribunal she thought of quitting show |
| (8 days later) | |
| A winner of the TV show The Apprentice has said she thought of leaving the show, which stars Lord Sugar, but felt she had invested too much time in it to drop out. | A winner of the TV show The Apprentice has said she thought of leaving the show, which stars Lord Sugar, but felt she had invested too much time in it to drop out. |
| Stella English, 34, also gave up a high-flying career in the City when she was named as a semi-finalist on series six of the hit BBC1 show. | Stella English, 34, also gave up a high-flying career in the City when she was named as a semi-finalist on series six of the hit BBC1 show. |
| English, who is suing Sugar for constructive dismissal, had to carry out a four-month probationary period before she was eventually named the winner in December 2010. | English, who is suing Sugar for constructive dismissal, had to carry out a four-month probationary period before she was eventually named the winner in December 2010. |
| She has told an employment tribunal that despite being paid £100,000 she had no clear role and only had basic administrative tasks to do when she worked in Sugar's Viglen division. | She has told an employment tribunal that despite being paid £100,000 she had no clear role and only had basic administrative tasks to do when she worked in Sugar's Viglen division. |
| English, of Whitstable, Kent, told the hearing at the east London employment tribunal service on Tuesday that on her first day at Viglen its chief executive, Bordan Tkachuk, told her: "There is no job." | English, of Whitstable, Kent, told the hearing at the east London employment tribunal service on Tuesday that on her first day at Viglen its chief executive, Bordan Tkachuk, told her: "There is no job." |
| During cross-examination on Wednesday she was asked by Seamus Sweeney, representing Sugar, why she did not complain to the millionaire business mogul about how she was treated. | During cross-examination on Wednesday she was asked by Seamus Sweeney, representing Sugar, why she did not complain to the millionaire business mogul about how she was treated. |
| She said: "I was in a trial period to win The Apprentice. What value is there in me going into a company I don't know – whether I knew [I was going to win] or not – and then go and complain about people who have been working there a long time? I didn't know at the time, within one month, how things were going to pan out." | She said: "I was in a trial period to win The Apprentice. What value is there in me going into a company I don't know – whether I knew [I was going to win] or not – and then go and complain about people who have been working there a long time? I didn't know at the time, within one month, how things were going to pan out." |
| Asked by Sweeney why she did not drop out of the process if she was so unhappy, she said: "That's a very good question. It did cross my mind." | Asked by Sweeney why she did not drop out of the process if she was so unhappy, she said: "That's a very good question. It did cross my mind." |
| But she added: "I had still hoped that by not making complaints and not being difficult with these people that in time I could maybe win them over. I didn't feel to go through that process and then at the last minute to drop out was a real option. As I said, it wouldn't have made any sense for me to do that." | But she added: "I had still hoped that by not making complaints and not being difficult with these people that in time I could maybe win them over. I didn't feel to go through that process and then at the last minute to drop out was a real option. As I said, it wouldn't have made any sense for me to do that." |
| Questioned about her relationship with Tkachuk, she told the tribunal: "It was clear that he didn't think much of The Apprentice. He didn't have any real interest in me. He didn't really particularly want to speak to me. He did not acknowledge my existence at all and the fact of the matter is he didn't want me there." | Questioned about her relationship with Tkachuk, she told the tribunal: "It was clear that he didn't think much of The Apprentice. He didn't have any real interest in me. He didn't really particularly want to speak to me. He did not acknowledge my existence at all and the fact of the matter is he didn't want me there." |
| On Tuesday, English told the hearing that she was "ostracised" and undermined by her colleagues at Viglen, who told her she had taken over another woman's job that had a salary of £35,000. | On Tuesday, English told the hearing that she was "ostracised" and undermined by her colleagues at Viglen, who told her she had taken over another woman's job that had a salary of £35,000. |
| An email was read out that she had sent Sugar on 24 December, after she had been named the winner. The tribunal heard that in it she told him: "I'm happy and people have been really kind to me." | An email was read out that she had sent Sugar on 24 December, after she had been named the winner. The tribunal heard that in it she told him: "I'm happy and people have been really kind to me." |
| Asked why she said this, English told the hearing that she had been in a "whirlwind" after winning the competition and taking part in numerous TV appearances and photoshoots. | Asked why she said this, English told the hearing that she had been in a "whirlwind" after winning the competition and taking part in numerous TV appearances and photoshoots. |
| She said: "Some people had been really kind to me. I don't dispute that. And some people hadn't been so kind to me. I'm not saying that every single person at Viglen was horrible. | She said: "Some people had been really kind to me. I don't dispute that. And some people hadn't been so kind to me. I'm not saying that every single person at Viglen was horrible. |
| "I'd just won The Apprentice. It was Christmas Eve. I was feeling very positive and hoping that I'd go back with a new, I suppose, fresh start. I've never denied that I said I wasn't happy to him. Of course I was happy to win The Apprentice. Who wouldn't be?" | "I'd just won The Apprentice. It was Christmas Eve. I was feeling very positive and hoping that I'd go back with a new, I suppose, fresh start. I've never denied that I said I wasn't happy to him. Of course I was happy to win The Apprentice. Who wouldn't be?" |
| She added that she was worried she would seem like a "troublemaker" if she complained. | She added that she was worried she would seem like a "troublemaker" if she complained. |
| English said she could understand why some of her colleagues were uncooperative with her when she was given the job because of the show. "It's a difficult situation," she said. "It's not a normal situation by any stretch." | English said she could understand why some of her colleagues were uncooperative with her when she was given the job because of the show. "It's a difficult situation," she said. "It's not a normal situation by any stretch." |
| The tribunal previously heard that when English emailed Sugar to ask for a meeting with him a few months later, she was disappointed to find that Tkachuk and two other members of senior staff were also going to be in attendance. When Sugar asked his colleague what he thought of her during the conference, Tkachuk replied: "Nice girl. Don't do a lot." | The tribunal previously heard that when English emailed Sugar to ask for a meeting with him a few months later, she was disappointed to find that Tkachuk and two other members of senior staff were also going to be in attendance. When Sugar asked his colleague what he thought of her during the conference, Tkachuk replied: "Nice girl. Don't do a lot." |
| English told the tribunal that before they went in, Tkachuk threatened her: "Don't make me embarrass you." Asked by Sweeney what she thought it meant, she said: "I believe that it meant don't raise any issues with Sugar – any issues that he's not going to be happy about. | English told the tribunal that before they went in, Tkachuk threatened her: "Don't make me embarrass you." Asked by Sweeney what she thought it meant, she said: "I believe that it meant don't raise any issues with Sugar – any issues that he's not going to be happy about. |
| "The reality is that I had to work at this company with this person. Basically I was just toeing the line. I didn't say anything. I just kept my mouth shut. I just hoped that eventually he'd realise that I'm not running off saying different things." | "The reality is that I had to work at this company with this person. Basically I was just toeing the line. I didn't say anything. I just kept my mouth shut. I just hoped that eventually he'd realise that I'm not running off saying different things." |
| English acknowledged that when she got married in March 2011 Sugar sent her a "big bunch of flowers" and also gave a "very generous" donation when she ran a marathon for charity. | English acknowledged that when she got married in March 2011 Sugar sent her a "big bunch of flowers" and also gave a "very generous" donation when she ran a marathon for charity. |
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