'I'LL KEEP DOING THE APPRENTICE UNTIL ALAN'S HAD ENOUGH OF IT'

TV STAR AND WEST HAM UNITED FC VICE-CHAIR KARREN BRADY TELLS US ABOUT STICKING BY LORD SUGAR'S SIDE, MISSING PAL CLAUDE LITTNER ON THE NEW SERIES, AND WHY WE'D NEVER CATCH HER TAKING PART IN STRICTLY COME DANCING

- RHONA MERCER

Baroness Karren Brady is a very busy woman indeed, so we’re thrilled when the vice-chair of West Ham United FC takes half an hour out of her day to chat to us about the new series of The Apprentice.

And after nearly 12 years as an assistant to Lord Alan Sugar on the show, her commitment to it is still strong. But it’s clear that Karren, 52, missed the presence of close friend and fellow aide Claude Littner.

He couldn’t take part in this series due to a serious cycling accident in April, which almost resulted in him losing a leg. “We were desperately disappointed that he wasn’t there,” she says.

That said, she is positively gushing about new recruit Tim Campbell, who won the first show back in 2005, describing him as “wonderful”.

Alongside her role as a businesswoman, Karren is firmly focused on her family – it’s obvious that her husband, the former footballer Paul Peschisolido, and their two children, Sophia, 25, and Paolo, 23, mean everything to her.

Following an enjoyable festive season, she admits that their family tradition of having a “dry January” leads to “a pretty miserable month”.

After 26 years of marriage, Karren and Paul seem more loved-up than ever. When we ask her what her husband bought her for Christmas, she replies, “We never buy each other anything for Christmas. We spend our time enjoying each other’s company instead of worrying about gifts.”

Aww! Here, Karren opens up about holidays on Lord Sugar’s yacht and why she’ll leave the show when he does…

Hi, Karren. What was it like filming without Claude?