A contestant on The Apprentice who boasts that she is a beauty entrepreneur once had a stage production company which went bust owing nearly £1million.
Lady Amy Anzel (48) will try to impress Lord Alan Sugar by her business acumen as she is the oldest contestant in the new series of the popular show. It airs on BBC One on Thursday after a two-year absence.
The actress, who was once an actress, currently markets her products and accessories for beauty. She claims they’re loved by consumers as well as celebrities.
Uh oh! A contestant on The Apprentice who boasts that she is a beauty entrepreneur once had a stage production company which went bust owing nearly £1million
Amy was able to leave behind many debts as she produced Happy Days The Musical touring, which is a reimagining of the TV show from 1970.
Amy was the only shareholder in Sunday Monday Ltd., the company that put on the shows across the UK. The show ended up going into liquidation December 2016.
Companies House records reveal the company which traded under the name Happy Days owed £960,568 to investors and suppliers.
Amy claimed in 2013 that the show had become one of the biggest ever successes in theatrical crowdfunding after it raised £250,000 from 345 investors through the online platform Seedrs.
Henry Winkler, the actor who played The Fonz on the first TV series Happy Days, was even approached by her to become a creative consultant.
It’s not a great start. Lord Sugar will admire Amy Anzel (48), who is the oldest contestant in the new series of the hit TV show. It airs on BBC One on Thursday.
Hollwood Browzer: The former actress currently sells her own beauty products and accessories which she claims are ‘loved by makeup artists, consumers and celebrities alike’
The musical was inspired by small town America during the 1950s. Theatre patrons contributed money to help the show.
But a statement of affairs, detailing amounts owed to creditors after the liquidation, showed the company still owed £127,500 to those who invested through Seedrs.
It also owed more than £400,000 to other individuals and investment firms, in addition to £177,387 owed to Amy herself, according to documents.
Companies that provided equipment or expertise for the production of the show at several venues were also liable for additional amounts.
American-born Amy will be hoping that Lord Sugar overlooks her previous failure by crowning her the winner of this year’s show, and investing £250,000 in her current business.
Disaster! Amy did not leave a trail of debts after she produced Happy Days The Musical on Broadway, which was inspired by the 1970s TV comedy. She is pictured here with Henry Winkler (Happy Days actor), who she recruited as a consultant for the project.
In 2013, Channel 4’s Reality Show, The Sound of Musicals, highlighted her struggle to produce Happy Days.
Unnamed creditor said that she felt she was not in her element.
“I was previously employed by a production manager and was offered the job.
“I called him to tell him that she wasn’t paying her bills. He said she also owed me some money.
“I ended up getting some money, but not the whole amount. I was still one of the creditors.
It left a bitter taste because the money was reasonable.
“It’s not my first experience with this. Other projects have cost me money. Take it all in stride.
“But, I wouldn’t do anything again for her unless she paid the full amount upfront. She is not the type of person I think she will watch on The Apprentice.
A retired investment manager, 70, from London who lost all the £10,000 that he invested in the show, said: ‘I had high hopes for it.
“I thought I wouldn’t make a lot of money. But I was shocked to find out that I had lost it all. My mind was set on washing my face.
Business venture: Amy was the sole shareholder of the company called Sunday Monday Ltd which put on the show across the UK, before it went into liquidation in December 2016 (pictured with the cast of Happy Days)
‘I went to the opening concert and was satisfied with everything. The team seemed professional and had a solid business plan. It seemed like there would be plenty of nostalgia to fill the theatres.
“I was put in touch by it through another backer, but I never met Amy. However, I received her glowing emails. She put her heart and soul in it.
“To the present day, I have no idea what happened. There was no malice or any other sinister element to it. It just didn’t strike the right chord. There is no anger or animosity towards me.
Amy was inspired to take on this production by Gary Marshall’s workshops in which he had been trying to make it a musical.
We’re moving on! Moving on!
Interview: She said she hoped that it would continue the legacy of successful 1950s Americana shows such as Jersey Boys and Hairspray.
Amy said at that time, “Audiences love the show!” The characters are captivating and entertain viewers for over two hours, even though they may not be fans.
The BBC did not mention Amy’s failure when she announced Tuesday that Amy was participating in The Apprentice.
According to publicity materials for the show: Amy started her beauty company a bit later than she expected. She had previously worked in sales, showbiz, and jingles.
Amy takes business seriously and is described as a determined, persevering, and tough boss.
It also provided a quote from her, saying: ‘I can be nice when I need to be, but when I unfortunately have to be a bitch, I will…’
Amy claims that her love for entertainment began as a child, when she participated in local theatre productions.
According to her, she has sang commercial jingles since the age ten for hundreds of companies including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola and Connect.
On her website she reveals that as an adult, she still performed in musicals like the US Tour of Annie, Grease Europe Tour, Happy Days, Grease and Cinderella with Jimmy Osmond.
Also, in 2002 she was a part of the US dating series The Bachelor.
Mama, you are hot! Hot mama!
The website does not mention the fact that Happy Days The Musical, her first theatrical production, was cancelled by her company.
However, it does mention that The Sound of Musicals featured Amy. She won the hearts of UK viewers with her unending ‘glass half-full’ attitude. This helped her overcome numerous obstacles.
It continues: “Despite many setbacks Amy kept the show running for six month touring the UK, Ireland and entertaining all audiences.
“She then produced Moby Dick, The Life, Sideways, Vanities, Casa Valentina, Casa Valentina, Casa Valentina, Casa Valentina, Casa Valentina, Casa Valentina, Moby Dick, and The Life, Sideways, Vanities, UK premieres, Casa Valentina, Casa Valentina, Dreamgirls in the West End, all Olivier Award winners.
Success! Amy uses the multifunctional Hollywood Browzer, an award-winning tool.
Amy is now in London and launched Hollywood Browzer Beauty, her brand for beauty products, in 2017. She wanted everybody to have the same experience as Hollywood stars using makeup artist’s tools.
Multi-functional Hollywood Browzer Beauty Tool, which she won an award for, can be used to perform dermaplaning. It is a gentle exfoliation technique that removes the top layer of dull and dead skin.
On her website, she states that her tools have’multiple advantages including improved product penetration and flawless makeup application. They also give radiant, glowing skin.
According to the website, Amy believes that dermaplaning is an essential part of any woman’s beauty regimen and that all women would be able to benefit from Hollywood Browzer Beauty’s products for dermaplaning.
Amy was said to have discovered the beauty of dermaplaning when she spent hours at make-up shops and in dressing rooms backstage around the world, and received tips from various Hollywood makeup artists.
The latest accounts for her company Pembrook Products which markets her tools shows it has current assets of £900,739. But the company had liabilities of £1.2m, meaning it was technically worth £219,821 on December 31, 2020.
Amy presented her products to TV shops around the globe, including QVC UK and QVC Germany.
It’s back! On Thursday, the Apprentice will return to BBC1 at 9pm.