NEWLY crowned apprentice Lee McQueen has described his victory in the smash hit BBC One show as "surreal."

The salesman from Princes Risborough triumphed tonight after an intense 12 weeks of gruelling business tasks up against 15 other contestants.

Speaking to Adrian Chiles on the follow up programme, Youre Hired he said: "To have beaten people like Claire makes the achievement even more unique, if you like. It's surreal."

He never had to face the boardroom wrath of Sir Alan during the series, winning on most of the tasks and on the occasions his team lost he was not nominated for the chop by his team leader.

Sir Alan Sugar said: "Either he's a tremendous schmoozer or he didn't deserve to be brought back into the boardroom.

"He always seemed to give his all - he was a team player. He was so passionate. He delivered some time I asked him to do something."

Sir Alan highlighted his improved presentation skills in the final task as a factor in the decision.

He also announced that Mr McQueen will be heading up a new visual advertising business working on sales and marketing and joked: "He ain't going to be doing a bleeding pterodactyl impression that's for sure."

Mr McQueen was found to have lied about on his c.v during the interview stage but Sir Alan said that it was only a minor blip and something most people did.

Runner-up Claire Young summed up his popularity among the other contestants.

She said: "He's a really nice guy, charming and funny."

A total of around 20,000 people applied to be on this year's series.

The BBC are expected to commission a fifth series after the programme proved again to be a massive ratings puller.