They found love in the boardroom
After meeting on series 16 of The Apprentice, winner Harpreet Kaur and co-star Akshay Thakrar got engaged in May 2023, proving that you really can find love in the unlikeliest of places…
You’ve said you didn’t start dating until after the show, but was there a bit of a vibe beforehand?
Akshay: Honestly, no, because The Apprentice is such a highpressure environment. Plus, we never worked on the same team. I will say that whenever she was speaking, I would always think how impressive she was, and I started to realise that she had all the traits I was looking for in a partner.
Harpreet: We were friendly and always respected each other, but we weren’t especially close. What did spark my attention, though, was his positivity.
How did you move from friendship to relationship?
A: Harpreet begged me to go on a date with her! No, it was the other way around. I suggested going for dinner next time she was in London.
H: I thought he meant with all of our friends and changed it to a lunch.
A: But we went for this lunch and just started speaking and really connected. Our relationship grew really authentically from there.
Will Lord Sugar and Baroness Brady be getting invites?
A: I don’t think Lord Sugar would come, but he might get us a gift, so we definitely should invite him!
H: I saw Karren recently, actually, and she was asking all about the wedding, so we might have to squeeze her onto the guest list. Kathryn [Louise Burn] who was the runner-up in our series is going to be a bridesmaid . ■
Harpreet and Akshay host podcast Hustle With Harpreet & Akshay available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
‘WE MIGHT INVITE LORD SUGAR TO THE
WEDDING’