‘Star’ is a construction expert from the north of Italy, who could launch ‘reverse’ ballerina career after appearance on The Apprentice
The Apprentice has made celebrities of people you’d never have expected to join the coaching ranks of The Donald. Now a Sicilian construction company owner is hoping to take the show’s grand prize by applying for a place in the celebrity team coached by Sir Alan Sugar.
Federico Alba, a 39-year-old north Italian, has become a celebrity after appearing on the hit reality show. For the 2013 series of The Apprentice, he vied with his 16-year-old son, Romeo, to be the project manager of Team Tartan.
The father-and-son team helped win a business deal to be run by Sir Alan. Alba said before his appearance on the show: “It’s the first time I’ve ever been on television and I’m a celebrity already.”
But will he be able to win over the Apprentice crowd with a career as a construction worker? Even his Apprentice colleagues at Sardinian builder, Bailes Treattieri SpA, are not sure.
While the truth behind Alba’s double life is still being uncovered, what is now clear is he is a romantic fantasist who has had his foot in the door of celebrity coaching through The Apprentice, including making his appearance on Italian television’s Tarantella.
The 58-year-old Sugar is willing to give Alba a second chance after he found out in the third episode of this year’s series that he is actually a construction engineer from Pozzuoli who has aspirations to become a superstar ballerina.
“I must admit that I have been terribly disappointed by this episode,” Sugar said of Alba’s performance as project manager on Bailes Treattieri SpA. “I am sure that Mr Alba would do everything to make a comeback. I can only hope that you might be able to inspire Mr Sugar to consider another candidate for the part of the team he has just appointed.”
After having been passed over and casting a spell on Sugar with his Macarena choreography last season, Alba is now braced for an unlikely welcome. “The Apprentice is the best way to draw attention to you,” Alba told the Sardinian daily Sant’Agata Bolognese. “The ballerina is a very popular character around the world and there are many stars who would love to become a ballerina.”