Meet The Apprentice’s 2023 candidate Gregory Ebbs: Antiques entrepreneur is a keen hiker

With the 2023 cast of The Apprentice set to hit the boardroom, most viewers will expect the candidates to already have a strong following on social media.

And while many of them litter their profiles with snaps showcasing their lavish lifestyles, beach selfies, and budding businesses, one contestant breaks the mold.

Gregory Ebbs, a self-confessed “military history buff” based in Shropshire, has just 132 followers on Instagram, a huge difference from his opponents Rochelle Anthony’s 23.6k and Reece Donnelly’s 9,603.

In addition to his antiques business, Gregory is a local councilor, a keen hiker, and has a YouTube channel where he shares his antique finds.

The eccentric businessman calls his USP “my ability to think outside the box and try new and different things” and confesses to being “a little more unusual than most.”

Ahead of the series, which begins next Thursday, he said: “I would say that a willingness to try different things and not being afraid to be a little bit different is one of my biggest strengths.”

Speaking about his business idea, Gregory said, “I think the chances of making this business super successful are greater than anyone else’s, because it’s a fantastic start.”

His Instagram photos include the budding entrepreneur visiting Alderford Lake for bonfire night and a time volunteering for a local fair.

Gregory is one of 18 candidates hoping to win the £250,000 cash injection and invaluable advice from business magnate Lord Alan Sugar.

With the show just around the corner and the full lineup released just in time, the antiques dealer will see his fan following grow as viewers tune in to series number 17.

Series 17 will see a whopping 18 candidates – the most since series 13 – vying for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 business investment, with competition as stiff as ever as they are thrown into the bottom on day one.

In the upcoming BBC series, the candidates will travel to Antigua, where they will be tasked with creating and selling excursions to tourists.

While those not lucky enough to be taken to the sunny location on the first try will face their own tough challenges at home.

Other challenges awaiting the candidates in this series include creating their own cartoons, making and selling street food, hosting immersive events, and delving into the world of male beauty.

With more challenges to face, the stakes for series 17 are higher than ever as aspiring businessmen and businesswomen battle it out in the boardroom hoping to avoid the dreaded black cab.

This year’s field features nine men and nine women who will do everything they can to impress Lord Sugar and his advisers Baroness Karren Brady, Tim Campbell and Claude Littner.