Meet Gregory Ebbs, The Apprentice’s 2023 nominee: the antiques entrepreneur is an avid hiker and “military history buff” who has just 132 Insta followers!
With the 2023 cast of The Apprentice heading to the boardroom, most viewers will expect the contestants to already have a large following on social media.
And while many of them peppered their profiles with snaps showing off their lavish lifestyles, beach selfies and burgeoning businesses, one contestant breaks the mold.
Shropshire-based Gregory Ebbs, a self-confessed “military history fan”, has just 132 Instagram followers – a stark contrast to opponents Rochelle Anthony’s 23.6k and Reece Donnelly’s 9,603.
Meet Gregory Ebbs, The Apprentice’s 2023 nominee: the antiques entrepreneur is an avid hiker and “military history buff” who has just 132 Instagram followers
In addition to his antique shop, Gregory is a local councillor, an avid hiker and has a YouTube channel where he shares his vintage finds.
The eccentric entrepreneur says his unique selling point is “my ability to think outside the box and try new and different things” and admits to being “a bit more unusual than most”.
Ahead of the series, which begins next Thursday, he said: “I would say a willingness to try different things and not be afraid to be different is one of my greatest strengths.
Aspiring to be a TV star: The Shropshire-based self-confessed “military history buff” has just 132 Instagram followers
The competition has begun: it’s a huge difference to the 23.6 km of the competitors Rochelle Anthony and the 9,603 of Reece Donnelly
Ambitious: In addition to his antique shop, Gregory is a local councilor and has a YouTube channel where he shares his finds
Gregory said of his business idea: “I think the chances of making this business super successful are better than anyone else because it’s such a fantastic principle.”
His Instagram photos include the budding entrepreneur’s visit to Alderford Lake for Bonfire Night and a time he volunteered for a local fair.
Gregory is one of 18 candidates all hoping to win the £250,000 cash injection and invaluable advice from business tycoon Lord Alan Sugar.
With the show just around the corner and the full lineup released just in time, the antique dealer will see its next surge when viewers tune in to Season 17.
In the wings: Series 17 will see a whopping 18 contestants – the most since Series 13 – compete for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 business investment
Fireworks: His Instagram photos include the budding entrepreneur visiting Alderford Lake for Bonfire Night
Series 17 will see a whopping 18 contestants – the most since Series 13 – vying for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 business investment, with the competition as fierce as ever as they are thrown in at the deep end from day one.
In the upcoming BBC series, contestants are flown to Antigua where they are tasked with creating and selling tours to tourists.
Those who aren’t lucky enough to be whisked away to the sunny spot on the first quest will have their own tough challenges to face at home.
Hopeful: Gregory is one of 18 candidates all hoping to win the £250,000 cash injection and invaluable advice from business tycoon Lord Alan Sugar
Other challenges awaiting contestants in this series include creating their own cartoon, making and selling street food, hosting immersive events, and immersing themselves in the world of male beauty.
With more challengers facing them, the stakes for Series 17 are higher than ever as the wannabe businessmen and women compete in the boardroom, hoping to dodge the dreaded black cab.
This year’s group consists of nine men and nine women, all of whom will do their best to impress Lord Sugar and his advisers Baroness Karren Brady, Tim Campbell and Claude Littner.
Meet the contestants: 1st Marnie Swindells 2nd Simba Rwambiwa 3rd Dani Donovan 4th Gregory Ebbs 5th Victoria Goulbourne 6th Reece Donnelly 7th Avi Sharma 8th Denisha Kaur Bharj 9th Bradley Johnson 10th Joseph Phillips 11th Mark Moseley 12 Megan Hornby 13 Shazia Hussain 14 Shannon Martin 15 Sohail Chowdhary 16 Kevin D’Arcy 17 Rochelle Anthony 18 Emma Browne