“Wippa’s Obviously a Charmer”: Janine Allis Shares What to Expect From Celebrity Apprentice

After a five-year wait, Celebrity Apprentice Australia is back and with it, a brand new CEO, British business magnate (and billionaire) Lord Alan Sugar.

Each season, before the big boss can utter the infamous words “you’re fired”, the new recruits are put through their paces in challenges to raise money for their charities. But because a British billionaire can not have his eyes on his apprentices all the time, he hires advisors.

This year, Lorna Jane founder, Lorna Jane Clarkson and Boost Juice CEO, Janine Allis, have been set the task to be his eyes and ears, and for Allis — whose juice company is worth over a cool $350 million — the new celebrities have seriously impressed her.

“I think genuinely I was surprised how they were there for the right reasons,” Allis told POPSUGAR Australia during an interview before the series premiered.

This year, celebrities came from all sorts of backgrounds — including her own castmate from Survivor Australia, David Genat, but there were two that particularly stood out.

“I think you always see someone like a Martha [Kalifatidis] and go, ‘Oh, yeah, yeah. La da da,’ but you know, she’s a smart, savvy businesswoman. She’s got it going on,” she revealed, before adding: “Wippa [Michael Wipfli] was obviously a charmer and David [Genat] — he just really did a great job at narrating the whole thing. Shayna [Blaze] was also very good. There were a number of people who stood out.”

The 56-year-old built her Boost Juice empire from her kitchen, which is now available in over 13 countries worldwide and while apart from Lord Sugar and Clarkson, she is the savviest cast member when it comes to business, the celebrities did teach her a thing or two.

“At different times, different people teach you all sorts of things. You’ve just got to listen,” she admitted. “For instance, I think it was really interesting talking to Alex [Hayes] in regards to how he works with social media or Martha because she is unapologetically is who she is and how she works social media. Or you get to know Shayna on a whole new level with regard to the multiple businesses she has. And then I have admiration for Ross Noble with how good he is at his craft.”

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Allis believes that each person is “good at what they do” because “they are obsessively compulsive in their area.”

“I think that’s what they all had in common. Which, whatever it is that they do and they are known is because they’re really good at what they do.”

Allis was also taken by Camilla Franks, the iconic, eccentric and colourful designer who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018.

“Camilla is all creative,” Allis said. “What you see is what you get. She wears her emotions on her sleeve. She’s bigger than Ben Hur. She’s just all Camilla.”

As an advisor, Allis’ job is to offer advice to the apprentices and said that “perspective” was one piece that she gave them — and herself, during the hardest point in her career.

“I think perspective is really important,” she said. “I always do the, in this instance, what is the worst thing that can happen? And then I go, am I OK with that? Yep, I’m OK with that and then go back to where I am.”

She continued: “People laugh and say it’s a third world problem, but really, the only problems that we have manifested are in our own head. None of them are actually real.”

Celebrity Apprentice Australia will air on Channel Nine and 9Now from Sunday to Tuesday from May 23.