Apprentice winner Yasmina Siadatan quits Lord Alan Sugar's business empire after falling pregnant again

By Ben Todd and Sara Nathan

Last updated at 11:08 PM on 24th February 2012

Yasmina Siadatan has become the latest Apprentice winner to leave Lord Alan Sugar's business empire - after falling pregnant for a second time in less than two years.

The steely brunette, known as 'Mina' and dubbed the ultimate 'Alpha Female,' was tipped for greatness when she won the BBC series in 2009 - and immediately began working for Sir Alan in a £100,000-a-year job.

However, the following year, the 31-year-old announced she was pregnant following a whirlwind romance with work colleague Andrew Hepburn.

Short-lived working relationship! Sir Alan Sugar and Yasmina Siadatan pose together as she is unveiled as the winner of The Apprentice in 2009

Short-lived working relationship! Sir Alan Sugar and Yasmina Siadatan pose together as she is unveiled as the winner of The Apprentice in 2009

She went on maternity leave at Christmas 2010, with her first child being born the following month.

Miss Siadatan was then due to return to the company last month, but told her bosses she was pregnant once more.

She has now left the company 'amicably,' according to source.

Last night, a source said: 'Yasmina never even came back to work. She handed in her notice recently and said that she was pregnant again.

'Yasmina had a great future at the company and Lord Sugar had great faith in her, but she is concentrating on her family.'

Miss Siadatan triumphed in the 2009 show, surprisingly beating favourite Kate Walsh after Lord Sugar said his 'gut instinct' told him Miss Siadatan was the right choice.

As a result, she was made a £100,000-a-year business development manager at his company Amscreen Healthcare.

However, Miss Siadatan, a former restaurateur, soon began a relationship with her erstwhile colleague Mr Hepburn.

Before the makeover: Yasmina beat Kate Walsh to the winner's title, but the opinionated blonde runner-up now has a rather successful career in television

Before the makeover: Yasmina beat Kate Walsh to the winner's title, but the opinionated blonde runner-up now has a rather successful career in television

She moved into Mr Hepburn's £450,000 flat in South London and he left Amscreen, which sells digital signs to the NHS.

At the time, Miss Siadatan said: 'I feel very lucky. Life is brilliant at the moment.'

In 2008, Lord Sugar courted controversy when he claimed maternity laws had gone 'too far' and put employers off hiring women of childbearing age.

He has also said bosses must be able to ask women employees about their plans for the future, including having children and childcare arrangements.

But as Miss Siadatan announced her first pregnancy, the tycoon said: 'She has done a very good job and, of course, her position will be completely open to her when she returns.'

Last night, a spokesman for Lord Sugar said: 'When she became pregnant again, Yasmina took the decision to leave the company but remains on good terms with everyone at Amscreen.

'Of course, both sides would have liked to work with each other for longer but Lord Sugar knows that family must come first.

'Yasmina did a great job during her two years in the healthcare division of Amscreen and the door is always open should she ever want to return.'

Miss Siadatan's departure comes just a week after the Mail revealed how 2010 winner Stella English is suing Lord Sugar for constructive dismissal, claiming she was pushed out of her job.

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