Lee savours his Apprentice success

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McQueen - Beat Claire Young (right) in final

For more on 'The Apprentice' read our blog here.

Thirty-year-old McQueen saw off the challenge of fellow finalists Alex Wotherspoon, Helene Speight and Claire Young to hear "You're hired" from Sugar on last night's show.

Commenting on his win he said: "I'm a winner! I think I won because I delivered consistently. I'm a football fan and if you compare it to a Premier League table I'd be at the top. I delivered every time. I was consistently able to drive things forward to a positive result."

He continued: "When I was told I'd won I took a deep breath. I was relieved, overjoyed. My heart missed a beat. I was thinking, 'Really?' When I heard those words, 'You're hired', it took a couple of seconds to sink in. I took a deep breath."

On why Sugar had picked him, he said: "I think what swung it for me was when I rolled off my record to Sir Alan. I've been a project manager three times, won three times and never been in the boardroom.

"Claire doesn't need anyone to feel sorry for her but I am gutted for her. I believed at some point that Sir Alan would choose her... She probably went through the biggest journey."

McQueen had been paired with the favourite Young for the final challenge, designing and marketing a new fragrance.

With Wotherspoon and Speight fired, Sugar had to choose between McQueen and Young.

Sugar said: "Claire, you have some great attributes and Lee, you're very convincing. You are very, very, very convincing. I've concluded... Lee, you're hired."

When asked what he would do with his first pay packet, McQueen said: "I'll probably buy a new pair of shoes for the missus. I'm also trying to negotiate with Sir Alan to see if I can have a holiday in South Africa."

He added: "My mum's got no central heating in her flat. I bought it and it's mortgaged. So I think it's only right to help her with that side of things."

McQueen will work with the tycoon on launching a digital advertising product.

Runner-up Young said of appearing on the BBC show: "I have had the most amazing experience. It has been fantastic. I am very grateful and I just want to say 'thank you'.

"I wanted to be Sir Alan's apprentice, at heart I felt I was his apprentice. I felt out of all the candidates I probably went through the most. I stuck at the task, I gritted my teeth and I wanted to be a really strong woman apprentice for him, but obviously it wasn't meant to be."