The CV (5 page)

The acquisition of Klinsmann, Dumitrescu and Popescu seemed to have kick-started a new revolution of foreign players joining the Premier League. In the past, players came from the local community, trained in the youth academies and had a real allegiance to the club. I reminded the meeting about this and how we were now being flooded by foreigners coming here for the money, simply because we were the richest league around. We were now attracting these Carlos Kickaballs who had no history with our clubs and would go anywhere for money. The Carlos Kickaball remark got more laughter. To this day it is quoted and remains in the football dictionary.

2000 – 2009:

Meanwhile, the first series had been nominated for a BAFTA, the most prestigious of television awards. The ceremony was held on 7 May and I turned up that night at the Great Room at the Grosvenor House Hotel to find it jam-packed full of TV celebrities and stars. It was a massive event. I went with Ann and, not knowing anyone and feeling a bit shy, we tried to hang back in the reception area for a while until they called people to the tables. Eventually, Daisy Goodwin got hold of us, walked us through the main dining area and started introducing me to people. Gordon Ramsay came up and shook my hand, telling me how wonderful the show was. I met Bruce Forsyth, Jack Dee and loads of others. I didn’t understand, in TV terms, what a breakthrough
The Apprentice
had been. Only now did I realise, walking through this grand hall and seeing people looking at me or coming to talk to me, that it was a massively popular show.

We won the BAFTA award for ‘Best Feature’ that night. Peter Moore dragged me up on to the stage in front of all these people and for once I was dumbstruck. I just hung behind him and let him do the talking. There was a press call for me to have my picture taken with the award and there, queuing up in the press room, was David Jason, the great actor from
Only Fools and Horses.
He shook my hand, telling me what a great programme it was and how he’d enjoyed watching it. I told him, never mind all that, it was an honour for
me
to meet
him
and said how he had entertained me over the years as Del Boy and Inspector Frost. Meeting him was a highlight of the evening.

Ricky Gervais was sitting on another table and waved at me. He was hot at the time with his show
The Office.
I went over to shake his hand and he said, ‘I don’t know why I waved at you because I don’t know you. I guess it was just to say well done.’

You can imagine how a moment like this could
really
go to your head, how it could make you want more and more fame. But in a way, this was no different to having a smash-hit Amstrad product – it was great to be congratulated for my success but, like a hit product, I knew it wouldn’t go on for ever. My feet were firmly on the ground and I had no delusions that I was some great TV celebrity.

2000 – 2009:

It was a great honour to be made Lord Sugar of Clapton. Ann, of course, was already a lady.

First published 2011 by Macmillan

This electronic edition published 2011 by Macmillan
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Copyright © Alan Sugar 2011

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