Apprentice Final 2026: Karishma Vijay says all-female showdown is great for young girls

Karishma Vijay has said the apprentice final 2026 feels especially meaningful because an all-female finish can be powerful for impressionable young girls to see. The Surrey businesswoman from Ashford reached the final of this year’s series after a strong run in the competition, where she is seeking investment for her skincare brand KishKin. The final airs on Thursday at 21: 00 BST, with the winner set to receive £250, 000 in investment and a partnership with Lord Alan Sugar.
Apprentice Final 2026 brings Karishma Vijay to the last stage
Vijay, 28, said she had been amazed by the response she and fellow finalist Pascha Myhill have received ahead of the last episode. She said the public had been strongly behind them when things were going well, and added that people in Surrey had been supportive throughout her run. In the apprentice final 2026, she is competing for investment into her skincare brand after impressing in the interviews and throughout the series.
She advanced after succeeding in the demanding interview stage, where she said the business advisers were “going at you” during 45-minute sessions that only appear briefly on screen. In one interview, she said Claudine Collins was brought to tears as the discussion turned to how Vijay’s family motivated her to succeed in business. Vijay said it was nice to see the human side of the interviewers.
Why the Apprentice final 2026 matters to Vijay
Vijay said the younger generation looks up to her and Myhill, making the apprentice final 2026 more than a business contest in her eyes. “It’s great for impressionable young girls to see this, ” she said, framing the moment as one with wider value beyond the show itself.
Her path to the final has been built on what she described as negotiating skill and composure under pressure. The context around her performance has been one of consistent confidence, with the challenge rounds and interviews narrowing the field down to just two finalists.
What comes next when the apprentice final 2026 airs
The final will decide whether Vijay secures the backing she has been chasing for KishKin. For Lord Sugar’s winner, the prize includes investment and a business partnership, and the result will cap a series that has moved Vijay from contestant to contender in public view.
For Vijay, the apprentice final 2026 is now about one last step, one last pitch, and one last chance to turn a strong run into a business deal. If she wins, she will leave the series with the investment she has been seeking and the added visibility that has already made her a point of support in Surrey and beyond.




