The first Apprentice winner, Tim Campbell, has quit his £100,000-a-year job with Sir Alan Sugar, it was announced today.

Campbell was hired in 2005 and given a job in the health and beauty division of Sir Alan's electronics firm Amstrad.

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He proved so successful that the tycoon kept him on at the end of his year-long contract.

Now the former London Transport manager is branching out on his own with two new projects: a male grooming business and a social enterprise initiative called The Bright Ideas Trust which will give away at least £1 million a year to budding entrepreneurs.

And unlike series two winner Michelle Dewberry, who lasted only a few months in the job, Campbell has Sir Alan's full backing.

"Tim has left Amstrad to pursue his own personal projects. He has been a great asset to the company and I wish him the best of luck for the future.

"He was the right choice and I will be there to offer help and guidance should he need it," said the former Tottenham Hotspur chairman.

Campbell added: "Sir Alan Sugar has been my motivation in both starting a business and creating a fund for budding entrepreneurs to do the same.

"Since winning The Apprentice, Sir Alan has been nothing but inspirational. From him I've learnt how to take risks.

"More importantly, he has built my self-confidence and taught me practical skills that have helped me to look at new challenges.

"I am deeply grateful for the opportunities he has given me. Working for Amstrad was a really positive experience and that experience has helped me to be passionate about business. Now I want to share what I have learnt with others as well as grow my own company. I'm relishing my future."

The Bright Ideas Trust aims to start at least 250 new businesses every year by giving away at least £1 million.

Campbell explained: "I want the trust to unleash a wave of creativity among people in the UK and give them an opportunity to run their own enterprise in a practical, hands-on way.

"From the trust's own research we know that television programmes such as The Apprentice and Dragon's Den are inspiring hundreds of people to take the risk and begin their own enterprise."

At yesterday's launch of the new Apprentice series, Sir Alan was full of praise for Campbell, describing him as "a wonderful fellow, a role model for young people and a great chap".

But he took a thinly-veiled swipe at Dewberry.
Asked if he regretted not choosing runner-up Ruth Badger as his apprentice, Sir Alan said: "There's a lot of regrets about last year. I'm in an awkward situation in having to bite my tongue - that's the best thing I can say at this moment in time."

He said many of last year's contestants were only interested in fame.

Dewberry had a well-publicised affair with fellow contestant Syed Ahmed but the couple split when she lost their unborn baby.

Since quitting her Apprentice job she has published her autobiography and appeared on a BBC celebrity hairdressing show.

Sir Alan said: "Last year I wasn't particularly impressed with the calibre of candidates. I always have the problem of wondering if they are here for the right reasons.

"The power of TV is massive. You take these people out of a normal job, they're in the press, they see themselves splashed on the screen, they see all the attention that's paid to them and they go off in the wrong direction."