01 February 2024 , 20:20
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The Apprentice winner Harpreet Kaur has shared an update on her romance with co-star Akshay Thakrar after the pair went public with their relationship in August 2022.
The brand series returns to the screen on February 1, on BBC with 18 fresh faces hoping to secure a £25,000 investment deal. Fans are set for a thrilling twelve weeks as the new hopefuls compete in various challenges to test their abilities in a bid to be crowned champion.
Harpreet Kaur won the sixteenth series of the BBC show. The 31-year-old headstrong former contestant started her luxury desserts brand Oh So Yum! from scratch and sought the help of Lord Sugar to help strengthen her business.
Harpreet opened a store in Bradford with her sister and business partner Gurvinder in August 2022 and is the owner of a desert parlour in Huddersfield and another in Leeds. The shops sell an assortment of sweet treats to members of the public including milk cakes and donuts. Listing some of her impressive achievements over the past year, Harpreet proudly revealed she has collaborated with brands such as Selfridges and Hilton London.
Harpreet parted ways from Lord Sugar after buying back the shares in her business (PA)After a year of mentorship, the former contestant parted ways with Lord Sugar and bought back her shares in the company. She also found love with co-star Akshay Thakrar, with the pair going Instagram official the same year she had won the show.
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Speaking to The Mirror, Harpreet recalled the nerves she felt during her time on the show, where she met her current fiancé: "I'll never forget those memories, the nervousness, the unknown, and being pushed out of my comfort zone. But I've come out of that. I've met my partner and we know we'll support each other and only want the best for each other."
Harpreet and Akshay went Instagram official in August 2022 (Instagram/ @akshay.thakrar)
The couple are engaged now (Instagram/ @akshay.thakrar)In May 2023, the couple announced their engagement on social media, with Harpreet sharing images from their lavish proposal. The clip shows Akshay getting down on one knee to a shocked Harpreet in front of a sign saying 'Will you marry me?' with the London skyline providing the perfect backdrop for the business pair.
Harpreet wrote at the time: "Our magical moment that we’d love to share. I thought we were attending a 007 themed birthday bash for Akshays friend hence the glam up on a sunday eve… Instead I stepped into the most magical & beautiful fairytale.Thank you so much to everybody for all the beautiful congratulations messages. We are so excited & blessed!
When asked about the type of person Lord Sugar looks for in a potential winner, Harpreet revealed that the business tycoon can weed out the candidates who are 'faking it' in the process.
"Lord sugar isn't interest in any b******* if you are faking it he will know. The show really uncovers when someone hasn't actually for the skills that say they have. When you apply for the show of course you're going to say you're the best at sells and the best at negotiation. But you've also got to be able to walk the walk. You are put under extreme pressure but if you can't perform well under pressure, you haven't got a real chance in the world of business.
Opening up about the challenges she had faced on the show, Harpreet said: "I really struggled with the cameras. I wasn't big on social media and I wasn't an influencer. I was quite naive at the fact that actually I'm going to have to fall into the public eye, and I kind of forgot about that element." The interview was hosted on behalf of the industry data platform Alt Index.
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