A beautician and salon owner from Co Donegal will compete to win a £250,000 business investment from Lord Alan Sugar on the latest series of the BBC’s reality competition The Apprentice.
Aoibheann Walsh, who is originally from Kerrykeel but owns a beauty salon in Letterkenny, is one of the 18 contestants who will take part in the 19th season of the hit show.
The award-winning makeup artist is hoping to secure an investment from business tycoon Lord Sugar for her functional utility belt for hairdressers, makeup artists and costume designers.
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Taking to social media following the announcement, Ms Walsh said she “can’t believe” that she’s participating in the show.
I can finally share the toughest kept secret of my life - I’m going to on this years season of The Apprentice. Yes, me...
Posted by Aoibheann Walsh - G&G on Monday 20 January 2025
“I can finally share the toughest kept secret of my life,” she said.
“I’m going to on this year’s season of The Apprentice. Yes, me from the hamlet of Kerrykeel, Donegal!
“I still can’t believe I made it to the televised finals of the show out of a whopping 80,000 applicants! This journey has been nothing short of amazing, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity and the experience gained.”
Ms Walsh is not the only Irish contestant competing in the latest season of the show, which has been airing since 2005.
She will be joined by Dubliner Jordan Dargan, an animation entrepreneur who says he has “always dreamed” of competing on the programme and is this year’s youngest contestant.
“I want to turn my one-man band into an orchestra of the world’s most talented 3D artists to take my business to the next level,” he told the BBC.
“I’m here to prove that age is just a number and location is just a time zone. Hard work and persistence can take you far, regardless of where you’re from or your years on this earth.”
The Apprentice returns to BBC One at 9pm on January 30.
