Apprentice winner Dean Franklin ‘not aware’ of licence breach

The winner of The Apprentice 2025 said he was “not aware of any ongoing investigation” after reports his air conditioning firm had been operating without the correct licence.

Dean Franklin, 35, from Hornchurch, east London, was crowned the latest winner of the long-running BBC reality show on 17 April by Lord Alan Sugar.

The Sun newspaper reported he was at “the centre of a rogue trader probe” for failing to provide an F-gas certificate for his business for 17 months, which is required by the Environment Agency.

Mr Franklin told BBC Essex: “I’m not aware of any ongoing investigation. I am F-gas registered and have been since 2014.”

“I wouldn’t always believe what you read in the newspapers,” he added.

F-gases, or fluorinated greenhouse gases, are regulated by the Environment Agency and companies or individuals working with them must be qualified to do so.

Coverage in the national media said Mr Franklin’s firm, ADL, could be liable for a £200,000 fine if a breach of regulations was to be found.

In a statement, an Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We are clear that it is against the law to work with F-gas without the correct qualifications and certification.

“We are investigating reports of a potential breach of these regulations.”

Mr Franklin gave his response to the allegations while taking part in BBC Essex’s behind-the-scenes look at this year’s run of The Apprentice, featuring candidates from the county including Chisola Chitambala, Liam Snellin and Emma Rothwell.