Linda Plant
Linda Plant | |
|---|---|
| Born | Linda Barbara Lawrence 5 January 1952 Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
| Occupations |
|
| Known for | The Apprentice |
| Spouse(s) |
David Serr
(m. 1970; div. 1990)Stephen Plant (m. 2000) |
| Children | 3 |
| Website | lindaplant |
Linda Barbara Plant (née Lawrence, previously Serr; born 5 January 1952) is an English businesswoman and entrepreneur. She founded the knitwear brand Honeysuckle, as well as several other businesses and has served as one of the interviewers on the BBC series The Apprentice since 2015.
Life and career
Plant was born Linda Barbara Lawrence on 5 January 1952 in Leeds, West Yorkshire, to Jack Lawrence, a tailor, and Regina Waldman (née Hollander), who worked on a market stall.[1][2][3] Plant is Jewish.[4]After leaving school, Plant working full time on her mother's stall, which sold hosiery, handbags and costume jewellery.[5] Plant married David Serr in 1970, and they went on to have three children together.[6][7] Plant later opened her own retail shops and wholesalers, before founding her knitwear brand Honeysuckle in 1974, which she initially sold in 1981, before buying it back again in 1984.[8][9] Plant went on to run numerous other businesses, including Homerun and Plant Collections and others specialising in property and interior design.[10][11]
In 2015, Plant became one of the interviewers on the BBC business series The Apprentice.[12][13] During the eleventh episode of the series, Plant and other interviewers Claude Littner, Mike Soutar and Claudine Collins interview the remaining five contestants prior to Lord Sugar's decision on whom to send through to the final.[14] Plant is known for her "harsh" and "no-nonsense" interviewing techniques, often leading to clashes with the contestants.[15][16] Plant's other appearances include the spin-off programmes The Apprentice: You're Fired! and The Apprentice: Unfinished Business, as well as two episodes of The Only Way Is Essex in 2021. In 2023, she appeared on an episode of Abbey Clancy's Celebrity Homes, in which Clancy visited her home.[17]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–present | The Apprentice | Interviewer | [15] |
| 2015–2025 | The Apprentice: You're Fired! | Guest; 9 episodes | [18] |
| 2021 | The Only Way Is Essex | Guest; 2 episodes | [19] |
| 2023 | Abbey Clancy: Celebrity Homes | Guest; 1 episode | [17] |
| 2025 | The Real Housewives of London | Guest; 1 episodes | [15] |
| 2026 | The Apprentice: Unfinished Business | Guest; 1 episode | [20] |
References
- ↑ Bond, Kimberley. "Who is Linda Plant? Meet The Apprentice interviewer | Radio Times". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 18 January 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ Colderick, Stephanie (17 February 2022). "BBC The Apprentice: Who is Linda Plant?". Wales Online. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "Reality Check". JLife Magazine. 31 March 2025. Archived from the original on 30 August 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ Bray, Elisa (31 December 2025). "Lessons in success from The Apprentice's Linda Plant". The Jewish Chronicle. Archived from the original on 19 January 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ Bray, Elisa (31 December 2025). "Lessons in success from The Apprentice's Linda Plant". The Jewish Chronicle. Archived from the original on 19 January 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "The Apprentice's Linda Plant - From a Market Stall in Dewsbury to the London Stock Exchange - Novi". Novi. 2 August 2018. Archived from the original on 16 December 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "Who is Linda Plant, Lord Sugar's new interviewer?". In Cumbria. 17 December 2015. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "See inside The Apprentice's Linda Plant's amazing house". Hello!. 14 December 2018. Archived from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "BBC 'The Apprentice' interviewer Linda Plant to share tips on success". Business Live. 12 May 2021. Archived from the original on 22 January 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ O'Sullivan, Kyle (17 March 2022). "The Apprentice star Linda Plant's journey to millions and Lord Sugar connection". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "Linda Plant |". Linda Plant. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "The Apprentice Interviewers reveal how they prepare to put the candidates through their paces". BBC. Archived from the original on 26 March 2023. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ McAuley, Paul (28 April 2022). "Apprentice star Linda Plant on the lookout for North West businesses". Liverpool Echo. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "Forget Claude and Karen - boardroom bruiser Linda Plant is exactly what The Apprentice needs". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- 1 2 3 Daly, Emma. "Who is new The Apprentice interviewer Linda Plant?". Radio Times. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "The Apprentice finalists revealed after Lord Sugar tears apart business plans". Ilford Recorder. 9 April 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- 1 2 "Abbey Clancy's Celebrity Homes, Series 1, Episode 6". ITVX. Archived from the original on 21 June 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "BBC Two - The Apprentice: You're Fired!, Series 19, Sustainable Fashion". BBC. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "The Only Way Is Essex, Series 27, Episode 1". ITVX. Archived from the original on 9 March 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2026.
- ↑ "BBC Two - The Apprentice: Unfinished Business, Apprentice Series 20, Discount Buying, She drives a hard bargain!". BBC. 19 March 2026. Archived from the original on 20 March 2026. Retrieved 13 May 2026.