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| Apprentice winner Stella English told 'don't upset Lord Sugar' | Apprentice winner Stella English told 'don't upset Lord Sugar' |
| (1 day later) | |
| A winner of The Apprentice was warned not to upset Alan Sugar as she went into a meeting with him to discuss job concerns, a tribunal heard. | A winner of The Apprentice was warned not to upset Alan Sugar as she went into a meeting with him to discuss job concerns, a tribunal heard. |
| Stella English, from Kent, was employed by the tycoon's IT company Viglen, but said its chief executive told her on her first day, there was no job. | Stella English, from Kent, was employed by the tycoon's IT company Viglen, but said its chief executive told her on her first day, there was no job. |
| The East London Employment Tribunal Service has heard she felt like "an overpaid lackey". | The East London Employment Tribunal Service has heard she felt like "an overpaid lackey". |
| She told the hearing she feared being a "troublemaker" if she complained. | She told the hearing she feared being a "troublemaker" if she complained. |
| Ms English, who won the show in 2010 and earned £100,000 a year with the company, said she had no choice but to resign after being told her contract was not being renewed. | Ms English, who won the show in 2010 and earned £100,000 a year with the company, said she had no choice but to resign after being told her contract was not being renewed. |
| 'Kept mouth shut' | 'Kept mouth shut' |
| She is claiming constructive dismissal at the tribunal, which began on Tuesday. | She is claiming constructive dismissal at the tribunal, which began on Tuesday. |
| The 34-year-old, from Whitstable, had to carry out a four-month probationary period before she was named the winner in December 2010. | The 34-year-old, from Whitstable, had to carry out a four-month probationary period before she was named the winner in December 2010. |
| She told the hearing she had no clear role and was given only basic administrative tasks to do at Viglen. | She told the hearing she had no clear role and was given only basic administrative tasks to do at Viglen. |
| On Tuesday, she told the hearing that on her first day Bordan Tkachuk, the chief executive, told her: "There is no job." | On Tuesday, she told the hearing that on her first day Bordan Tkachuk, the chief executive, told her: "There is no job." |
| The tribunal previously heard that when she emailed Lord Sugar to ask for a one-to-one meeting, she was disappointed to find Mr Tkachuk and two other members of senior staff were also going to be there. | The tribunal previously heard that when she emailed Lord Sugar to ask for a one-to-one meeting, she was disappointed to find Mr Tkachuk and two other members of senior staff were also going to be there. |
| Ms English told the tribunal that before they went in, Mr Tkachuk told her: "Don't make me embarrass you." | Ms English told the tribunal that before they went in, Mr Tkachuk told her: "Don't make me embarrass you." |
| "I believe that it meant don't raise any issues with Lord Sugar - any issues that he's not going to be happy about," she said. | "I believe that it meant don't raise any issues with Lord Sugar - any issues that he's not going to be happy about," she said. |
| "The reality is that I had to work at this company with this person. | "The reality is that I had to work at this company with this person. |
| "Basically, I was just toeing the line. I didn't say anything, I just kept my mouth shut." | "Basically, I was just toeing the line. I didn't say anything, I just kept my mouth shut." |
| During cross examination Seamus Sweeney, representing Lord Sugar, asked her why she did not complain to Lord Sugar about how she was treated. | During cross examination Seamus Sweeney, representing Lord Sugar, asked her why she did not complain to Lord Sugar about how she was treated. |
| Ms English said: "I was in a trial period to win The Apprentice. | Ms English said: "I was in a trial period to win The Apprentice. |
| "What value is there in me going into a company I don't know - whether I knew [I was going to win] or not - and then go and complain about people who have been working there a long time?" | "What value is there in me going into a company I don't know - whether I knew [I was going to win] or not - and then go and complain about people who have been working there a long time?" |
| 'Whirlwind after winning' | 'Whirlwind after winning' |
| Asked why she did not drop out of the process if she was so unhappy, she said: "It did cross my mind." | Asked why she did not drop out of the process if she was so unhappy, she said: "It did cross my mind." |
| "I had still hoped that by not making complaints and not being difficult with these people that in time I could maybe win them over." | "I had still hoped that by not making complaints and not being difficult with these people that in time I could maybe win them over." |
| An email was read out that Ms English sent to Lord Sugar on 24 December 2010, after she was named the winner. | An email was read out that Ms English sent to Lord Sugar on 24 December 2010, after she was named the winner. |
| The tribunal heard she wrote: "I'm happy and people have been really kind to me." | The tribunal heard she wrote: "I'm happy and people have been really kind to me." |
| Asked why she said that, Ms English told the hearing she had been in a "whirlwind" after winning the competition and taking part in numerous TV appearances and photoshoots. | Asked why she said that, Ms English told the hearing she had been in a "whirlwind" after winning the competition and taking part in numerous TV appearances and photoshoots. |
| "Some people had been really kind to me. I don't dispute that," she said. | "Some people had been really kind to me. I don't dispute that," she said. |
| "And some people hadn't been so kind to me. | "And some people hadn't been so kind to me. |
| "I'm not saying that every single person at Viglen was horrible. | "I'm not saying that every single person at Viglen was horrible. |
| "I'd just won The Apprentice. It was Christmas Eve." | "I'd just won The Apprentice. It was Christmas Eve." |
| The hearing continues. | The hearing continues. |