After twelve weeks of relentless competition, boardroom showdowns, and entrepreneurial grit, Karishma Vijay has emerged as the winner of The Apprentice 2026, securing Lord Alan Sugar’s coveted £250,000 investment for her skincare brand, Kishkin. The final episode, which aired on April 16, 2026, marked the end of an all-female showdown between Karishma and fellow finalist Pascha Myhill, drawing in millions of viewers across the UK and beyond, according to BBC.
For Karishma, a 28-year-old beauty business owner from Ashford, the journey to victory was anything but straightforward. As she told PA, "I was so blown away, so shocked – but I kept it very cool. Then, I got in my car and I was screaming. It was just insane – I can’t believe I’ve gone and done it after not having watched the show, I feel like that’s so cheeky." The suspense didn’t end with filming. Contestants had to wait up to six months to find out who had actually won, making the eventual announcement all the more electrifying.
The final task was no walk in the park. Both Karishma and Pascha were challenged to develop a brand and advertising campaign for their respective business ideas. With the help of previously fired candidates—Rothna, Carrington, Kieran, Vanessa, Levi, Priyesh, Megan, and Lawrence—each finalist selected their dream team and appointed sub-team leaders to execute their vision. The stakes were high as they presented their business plans to Lord Sugar, a panel of leading industry experts, and iconic figures from the show’s two-decade history, including Margaret Mountford, Nick Hewer, Dr Leah Totton, Ricky Martin, and Dean Franklin, as reported by Express.
In the boardroom, both finalists made impassioned cases for why they should become Lord Sugar’s next business partner. Ultimately, it was Karishma who won him over. Lord Sugar explained his decision succinctly: "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."
Karishma’s triumph is especially poignant given her personal journey. Just a few years ago, she described her life as "nothing short of a sh*t storm," telling PA, "Everything that you can imagine going wrong went wrong, and it was like, ‘How am I surviving this?’ I felt incredibly unlucky, then I found this show. I’m just so eternally grateful for all of it. Had I not hit rock bottom, it would have never been this unreal. I wouldn’t have probably been this grateful if it had come easily to me."
Her story is one of resilience and transformation. Before the show, Karishma revealed in an exclusive interview that she had just £7 in her bank account. Yet, through hard work and determination, she grew her business to the point where she was receiving hundreds of orders a day and even made £250,000 while The Apprentice was airing. "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 told Express.
Family pride is at the heart of Karishma’s celebrations. She credits her father, who raised her and her sister as a single parent, for much of her success. "My mum and dad are the proudest people on Earth right now. They cannot stop speaking about me to everyone they meet. My dad raised me as a single dad – both me and my sister," she shared. Facing skepticism from her community about her father’s ability to raise daughters alone, Karishma now points to her and her sister’s achievements—her sister is a doctor, and she herself is now the winner of The Apprentice—as proof of his unwavering dedication.
Alongside her business accomplishments, Karishma recently got engaged, announcing the news on social media with a series of joyful photos with her fiancé. "I actually can’t believe my life right now. Things keep happening. I’m just having a really good week," she said, capturing the whirlwind of positive change that has defined her recent months.
Reflecting on her journey through The Apprentice, Karishma emphasized the personal growth she experienced. "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," she told BBC.
One of the highlights of the competition for Karishma was receiving rare praise from Baroness Karren Brady. "The best highlight ever was Baroness Brady. Even her 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. None of the candidates ever get told, ‘you did good’ and for me, 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’."
Karishma was quick to praise her fellow finalist, Pascha Myhill, as well: "I have so much love for Pascha. I think she’s incredibly inspiring and the most deserving. A lot of people were questioning her place in the final and I just won’t have it. She deserves a seat at that table, 100%." This spirit of camaraderie and mutual respect was evident throughout the final, as both women navigated the high-pressure environment with grace.
Looking ahead, Karishma is determined to use Lord Sugar’s investment to take Kishkin to new heights. "We’re going to pump so much money into marketing. I want everyone to know the brand. Not knowing me. Right now, people associate me with the brand, as the face of the brand. But I want to reverse those roles. Kishkin should be everywhere; duty free, billboards, Sephora, Harrods, Selfridges, all the big places. There should be a little Kishkin counter where all the girls can run in to buy their new skin care fix. And I just want our brand to continue to make products that work miracles on skin," she told BBC.
Her advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is refreshingly candid: "I really think that people get so obsessed with giving it perfection and making it really, really great immediately. But there's a beauty in things being slightly imperfect, growing with people, being vulnerable, and saying to people, ‘okay, you know, I'm sorry this didn't go to plan, and this is what I learned’. Let people be a part of your growth journey, 'cause the big brands have already done it, and now you're gonna be someone new. You must convince people you're worth believing in. So just stop trying to be perfect, polished, and be more human. People love a humanised brand. But just go for it. Don't delay things, 'cause before you know it, your life's gonna flash by and you haven't done what you dreamt about when you're younger. Don't wait till you’re ready."
With a new business partner, a growing brand, and a life transformed, Karishma Vijay’s journey on The Apprentice 2026 is a testament to perseverance, self-belief, and the power of seizing opportunity—even when the odds seem stacked against you.