BBC The Apprentice winner issues four-word response after nail-biting final

The Apprentice 2026 winner has been crowned after a nail-biting final.

After twelve weeks of tough tasks and tense boardrooms, the BBC competition reached its dramatic conclusion tonight, with finalists Karishma Vijay and Pascha Myhill going head-to-head in a bid to win Lord Alan Sugar's £250,000 investment.

The final saw the two businesswomen develop a brand and advertising campaign for their own ideas before pitching them to Lord Sugar, leading industry experts and some legends from the past 20 years, including Margaret Mountford, Nick Hewer, Dr Leah Totton, Ricky Martin and Dean Franklin.

In one final boardroom, Lord Sugar appointed his next business partner, crowning Karishma the winner.

The Surrey-based beauty brand owner, who prides herself on being the first businesswoman in her family, had already won the nation and even scored a few rare compliments from Baroness Karren Brady.

The 28-year-old had previously shared in an exclusive interview how she went from £7 in her bank balance to taking hundreds of orders per day, and even making £250,000 while The Apprentice aired.

Lord Sugar said: "As always, it was close competition in the final after two outstanding pitches by two brilliant young businesswomen.

"But Karishma really impressed me throughout the process and has proven why she deserves my investment. She's a proper grafter, and she's got that entrepreneurial spirit that I always look for.

"The cosmetics industry is one I know a lot about, and I know our partnership will pave the way for a bright future."

After the result, Karishma simply shared: "I can't believe it."

She added, "I feel like I'm going to be calling Lord Sugar every other day, saying 'what do I do now? I don't know what I'm doing'.

"Because when I was doing it by myself, I was going at my own pace. Now, there's a bit more pressure, because I have to really convince him that he made the right decision to have picked me.

"I feel like I will never get over this experience. Nothing in my life will ever compare. I just got engaged - so what?!"

Talking about the experience, she went on: "The best highlight ever was Baroness Brady. Even just saying my name out loud, but also for her to acknowledge me. She thought I was good. Apparently, she never says that to anyone

"She said 'Karishma you really stood out, you're the big boss'. In what world does Baroness Brady speak about candidates like that? I feel so honoured.

"She backed me, she really backed me, and I feel like that made Lord Sugar think, 'wait, there must be something here for my right hand to be talking about her like this'."

Reflecting on what she's learned about herself through this experience, Karishma went on: "I am so much more confident. I feel like I can talk to anyone now. I can sell my stuff in public. I've never had that exposure. Now I'll be at exhibitions, and I'm screaming and shouting and singing. People love it. Nothing makes me nervous.

"If you can sit in front of Lord Sugar, Baroness Brady, and Tim, and put a sentence together, you can now talk to anyone. Those people are the epitome of power, and now I just feel so brave. No one scares me. Nothing intimidates me now."

Before knowing that she had won, Karishma had defiantly vowed that she'd be making money with or without Lord Sugar, telling us: "For me, as a business, we've done quarter of a million now, so Lord Sugar, you're making money with me, or you're making money without me, but I'm still making money."

She's now expressed her hope for the future after scoring Lord Sugar's investment, remarking: "Now doors are gonna open, that we probably never would have even knocked on. And now they're gonna blow wide open because of Lord Sugar. It's all about his network, his advice, and his expertise. He is the blueprint of business - I feel like I've got the godfather of business behind my shoulder now."

The Apprentice is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.