Why star of Alan Sugar's Apprentice Kate Walsh is too good for Cannock

May 31 2009 by Christina Savvas, Sunday Mercury

APPRENTICE blonde bombshell Kate Walsh was always too good for Cannock, according to one of her former school classmates.

Lee Pitchford attended Blake High School with the 27-year-old businesswoman, who is now the hot favourite to win the TV show and land the £100,000 salary working for Sir Alan Sugar.

And he said she was always destined for ‘bigger and better’ things.

Lee also wowed audiences with Kate. The pair starred in a school production of Grease together. He played Doody and she played Frenchy.

But whereas Lee has stayed living in the Staffordshire town, Kate has moved to Hampshire and found career success as a licensing development manager before going on the show.

She is now the bookmakers’ favourite to win the top prize to work for the tycoon.

Lee, 31, said: “I went to school with Kate. She was in the same class as my younger sister but I was closer to her,. She didn’t really have many female friends.

“We both liked drama and were in a couple of school shows together. There were a few times where we played boyfriend and girlfriend. In Grease she was Frenchy and I was Doody. Nothing happened between us outside of productions. I’m gay.”

Lee has now lost touch with Kate. He said: “When Kate finished school she left the area for university and never kept in touch with anyone. It’s like she sort of disappeared.

“She had one boyfriend at school that I can remember. He was called Glyn, I think he was a year older than me.

“She was always very popular with the boys and she used it to her advantage.

“She was very pretty, like she is now, although her hair wasn’t the colour it is now. It was darker with streaks, and she did have a dodgy perm at one time.