Exclusive confessions of Apprentice finalists
Sir Alan Sugar is soon to anoint his Apprentice of 2008 in the dramatic 
climax of this year's hit BBC1 reality show. On Wednesday 
he will fire one of the remaining contestants, leaving just
 four to compete in the final on June 11. Sean Hamilton 
and Grant Hodgson talk to the survivors... who have 
some surprising confessions. And we reveal what 
Sir Alan and his trusty sidekicks Nick Hewer and 
Margaret Mountford say about the hopefuls...
By Sean Hamilton And Grant Hodgson 1/06/2008

The Apprentice (BBC) The Apprentice (BBC)
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HELENE

Helene Speight turned to drink and drugs to blot out a 
miserable childhood, growing up with parents who were both alcoholics.

But she has vowed to win The Apprentice in honour of her
 late mother Geraldine, who finaally won her battle against the bottle and become a huge inspiration.

The pair grew close in the years before she died of a heart attack in October 2004 aged 58.

Helene, 32, reveals: "My mother was an alcoholic, and I went off the rails too, drinking, taking drugs, 
not leading a very nice life, not having the right attitude to work.

"I did work but I didn't have a very good job.

I had no focus in life. I'd almost given up.

"But Mum was probably my biggest inspiration in terms of succeeding in 
life. Sadly she died in 2005, but she sobered up, and had six clean years.

"By the time she passed away I was living the dream... a nice car, a nice job, a nice home.

I'm sure she'd be really proud of me."

Helene, who grew up in Otley near Leeds, 
comes from a police background. Her mum was a cop when she met her policeman dad Peter. And her sister Caroline has also joined the force.

Before signing up to The Apprentice Helene rose up through the ranks of General Electric, becoming a European Pricing Leader.

She says: "I'm a ballsy businesswoman, and if the other candidates underestimate that, it's a big mistake.

"I'm an extremely fiery character. I think once you meet people that have 
known me for some years, they will tell you I'm a bit of a livewire."

Sir Alan's Verdict: "Helene has been level-headed and sensible and that's what 
you need in business. She's tough, down-to-earth - a ballsy Northerner who's really goodin this process."

Margaret's Verdict: "She's trustworthy, honest, ethical and she hasn't 
been afraid to get her hands dirty. She's got stamina and isn't a whinger or a moaner."

My parents inspired me to succeed

ALEX

Alex Wotherspoon's world collapsed nine years ago when his family's business - a children's care home - went bust and they lost everything overnight.

But he says moving from a comfortable home into a rented farmhouse made his family stronger and closer, and he credits them as his inspiration.

Alex, 24, says: "My parents are the keystone in my life and always have been."

He had an early taste for business when he and his brother started bagging up manure and selling it as fertiliser. The product took off and became known as Wotherspoon's Black Gold.

He then took a degree in managerial administrative studies at Aston University in Birmingham, spending a year working in Houston, Texas, as a mortgage broker. After graduating he became a regional sales manager of Sainsbury's Energy.

He says of The Apprentice: "I'm physically weaker, but I want to stay in it until the end."

Sir Alan's Verdict: "He's been a very, very good sales person."

Nick's Verdict: "He's a very promising young man."

I've cut all ties with my family

LUCINDA

Lucinda Ledgerwood severed all her ties with her family two years ago and wants to win to prove she doesn't need them.

She changed her name from Burger and refuses to see her mum Sally Laird, 58, or her four brothers and sisters. But she refuses to explain what the feud is about only saying: "It's taught me to be resilient, to stand on my own two feet and think for myself." Her brother Carl, who is based in Germany, said: "The family have been told not to talk about her."

Lucinda, 32, from Edinburgh, was born in Singapore. She has a BSc (Hons) in psychology and neuroscience. She has worked in risk management and IT. She is a keen aroma therapist, a harpist and also a scuba diver. She says: "I'd say my time on The Apprentice has been a struggle, it's been difficult."

Sir Alan's Verdict: "She's a gutsy girl in a quiet way."

Nick's Verdict: "She is different, that's why others went for her."

I so wanted to be a nun

CLAIRE

Tough Claire Young has proved to be one of the stars of this year's show - earning her the nickname The Rottweiler.

But business is only a recent passion. Claire, 28, who is obsessed by horses, studied equine science at university and completed three seasons as a Club 18-30 rep in Magaluf.

Only afterwards did she start a career as a Category Buying Manager for Superdrug.

She reveals that up until the age of 10 she wanted to be a nun.

"I wore my petticoat on my head and walked around saying my prayers," she says.

Nick's Verdict: "Claire's toughness might help her with Sir Alan. He'll sometimes test you to come back and argue with him. She'll come back and she'll argue!"

Caught out by uni lie

LEE

Lee McQueen was forced to stand on his own two feet at just 17 when his parents split up and he moved into a house on his own.

Lee, 31, who once worked as a milkman, claimed on his CV that he went to university - a lie which is exposed on this week's show. He says: "My drive comes from the fact that my dad's a milkman, my mum is a doctor's receptionist. It wasn't a bad life, but I want to provide a good life for my family."

He has been dating Nicole Jellyman, who has worked in the same company Capita, for eight years. They live together in a £500k detached house in Buckinghamshire.

Sir Alan's Verdict: "People get on with Lee, not because he's a schmoozer or arselicker, but because he wins your respect.