Rachel The Apprentice winner: Who is Leeds boutique fitness studio owner Rachel Woolford?

As the much-anticipated 18th series of the BBC hit show returned earlier this year, 18 new contestants gave their all to impress business tycoon Lord Alan Sugar and his companions Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell MBE.

Rachel Woolford and her fellow Leeds contestant Dr Paul Midha picked off the competition as they both made it through to the gruelling interview stages. But after Dr Paul turned down an offer from Lord Sugar, it was Rachel who made it through to the grand final, where she took on pie man Phil turner.

After she was declared the winner during Thursday’s finale, she said landing the investment was “something beyond my wildest dreams”.

Rachel opened her boutique fitness studio North Studio, off Street Lane in Roundhay, in 2020, where she offers class-based workouts, holistic therapies, massage treatments and gym equipment.

An economics graduate, Rachel left her job in finance to pursue her love for fitness.

The Leeds entrepreneur, who lives in Shadwell, later opened a second site in Harrogate and went on The Apprentice to expand her business across the north. 

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In her BBC candidate profile, Rachel said that opening a business in the middle of Covid and creating a strong community of clients who loved the service Studio North provided despite restrictions and limitations was her biggest business success to date.

She added that her biggest business fail was not asking for help: "For a long time, I did absolutely everything in my business - teaching classes, payroll, cleaning, accounts - you name it, I was doing it.

"Once I learnt that it's ok to delegate and outsource some of these jobs, I started to scale my business. I finally understood the phrase 'work on your business, not in it'."

Ahead of the grand finale, Rachel said she was shocked to have made the final two candidates.

Posting on Instagram, she said: “Firstly, I remember when I was 17 studying my A levels so desperately wanting my own business and watching @luisazissman and @drleahtotton in the final of The Apprentice that year thinking I want to be like those women! 11 years later it’s me.

“Secondly, speaking about North Studio and getting every single part of it dissected and questioned by business experts all on national TV is hard. There's so much of the interviews you don't get to see! North Studio is and has been my life for 5 years, it’s nerve racking but an honour to have been part of those interviews.

“Finally, what started as a little business in Roundhay, Leeds that a lot of people doubted and questioned (that later became customers) is in the final of the process. It’s been a tough few years to get here but we made it! All my dreams have genuinely come true.”