HE started out as a fresh faced 24-year-old but now Apprentice finalist Alex Wotherspoon has the world at his feet as he is set to embark upon a career in banking and modelling.

Alex made it to the final episode of the hit BBC 1 show, which offered 16 candidates the chance to land a £100,000 job with business tycoon Sir Alan Sugar.

Millions tuned in each week to see Alex compete in tough tasks, followed by the obligatory grilling from Sir Alan in the boardroom.

Alex, of Rosewood, Westhoughton, now aged 25, first watched the American version of the show when he lived in Texas and decided he could give the contestants a run for their money.

He sent his CV to the British programme makers and was selected to take part in the gruelling interview process, which whittled down 20,000 applicants to 16.

He said: "The first round was called the culling chamber'.

"You had to say why you should be The Apprentice over the person on your left."

The former Bolton School pupil finally made it on to the television show after sailing through psycho-analysis.

The filming, last autumn, took seven weeks, during which the contestants lived together, without a break.

He said: "The girls were bitchy - they were literally like a gaggle of teenagers. The guys argued but then got over it. I found living there fine because I come from a big family and am used to lots of noise."

He said one of the toughest parts of the show was only being able to speak to the outside world for 10 minutes, every Thursday.

He said: "You're allowed one phone call a week. You had 10 minutes and it cuts off.

"One time my girlfriend had a bad day at work. I hadn't spoken to her for a week and she was crying and it switched off. I wanted to call her back but I couldn't."

He admitted being in awe of Sir Alan. He said: "It would be naive to say I wasn't intimidated by him. It was weird because he is 5ft 6ins and I am 6ft 4ins.

"It's weird to be intimidated by someone half your size."

But, he saw a softer side of the business tycoon when his dad collapsed at the after show party, suffering an asthma attack. He said: "He's been texting to make sure he's ok."

Sir Alan offered Alex a job with one of his companies, Xenon - the northern branch computer company Viglen - where he worked for four months.

But, he decided the job was not for him and is currently in talks with Santander, a banking corporation which owns Abbey National.

He is also in talks about starting a modelling career with agency Models 1.

And he is determined not to forget his Bolton roots. He is raising cash for his aunt's charity Children's Opportunity Group (COG) by auctioning a date with himself, and his Superman pyjamas from the show. He has also been helping his older brother, Oliver, with his business, Cool Canvas.