Entrepreneur and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Thomas Skinner was moved to tears during his emotional return to The Celebrity Apprentice boardroom, revealing to Lord Sugar how the show altered the course of his life.
An Overwhelming Return to the Boardroom
The 34-year-old, who first appeared as a candidate on the regular series of The Apprentice in 2019, is part of the lineup for two festive specials of the BBC reality programme in support of Children in Need. Viewers will see Skinner become tearful as he explains the profound impact his initial appearance had.
"It was a real honour," Skinner told MailOnline. "I loved doing Apprentice the first time and it was such a great experience. It changed my life so much and to be asked back to the Children In Need celebrity version was a real honour."
Reflecting on a Life Transformed
Skinner confessed he never expected to become so emotional, but the return to the famous boardroom brought a flood of memories. He explained that sitting in the same chair made him reflect on his journey from having "nothing" in 2019 to building a family and successful businesses.
"I sort of sat and thought, 'Wow, this experience all those years ago put me on the map really and made me successful I suppose, and opened so many doors for me'," he shared. "So to sit back and help to do it for such a great cause like Children in Need was a proper honour."
No Special Treatment Expected
Despite his history with the show, Skinner insisted he anticipated no favouritism from Lord Sugar. The festive specials also feature presenter Angela Scanlon, JLS singer JB Gill, and actress Sarah Hadland.
"No, listen, I'm a market trader. I sell things at the back of my van, you know what I mean?" Skinner stated. "I'll just go to work, but it was just great to be with these guys. I respect these guys because they're all legends. I was lucky to be there."
The emotional moment highlights how a reality TV opportunity can have lasting, real-world consequences, turning a market trader into a recognised entrepreneur and now a Strictly Come Dancing star, all while raising money for charity.
