Hornchurch's winner of The Apprentice 2025, Dean Franklin, is in the running for a national award.
Dean, who won Lord Sugar's £250,000 investment on the BBC show and who runs ADL Air Conditioning, has been shortlisted for the best heating, ventilation and air conditioning installer at the Heating Installer Awards 2025.
His entry highlighted his work on a large property in Brentwood, which now has year-round climate control.
The customer said: "They were a lovely company to deal with – I have done a few installs with him and I wouldn’t go with anyone else.
"Dean is an expert in his field, and he makes sure to leave the place tidy.
"I highly recommend him."
The awards, now in their tenth year, celebrate plumbers and heating installers who provide excellent customer service.
The entries were judged on problem-solving, product knowledge, and standout work.
Public votes will contribute to a third of the installer’s overall scores, alongside the judges’ scores and the scores from a technical challenge set for all of the regional and highly commended winners.
The shortlisting marks another positive step for Dean, who this paper spotted being mobbed by fans in Upminster earlier this month.
The father-of-two impressed Lord Sugar and his advisors Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell during The Apprentice.
He defeated Anisa Khan in the final, which aired in April.
The win meant he secured the six-figure investment from Lord Sugar into ADL Air Conditioning, based in Upminster.
