Fourteen young entrepreneurs face a battery of challenges as they compete to win a job with multi-millionaire Sir Alan Sugar. The winner takes all and losers walk away empty-handed.
In his search for an apprentice, Sir Alan Sugar sets his candidates the challenge of designing a new product for the most difficult of consumers - kids aged five to nine.
Twelve candidates are left in the running to become the apprentice. There's a change in the sexual chemistry as Sugar orders a re-shuffle to enable girls and boys to work together for the first time.
Fourteen candidates compete to win the prize of a highly paid job with Alan Sugar. It's week four and three contenders have already been sacked. At Harrods, the task for each team is to persuade people to shop at their stall.
Fourteen candidates compete in tests of stamina, intelligence and ruthlessness to win the prize of a highly paid job with Sir Alan Sugar. The two teams are given the task of selling modern art.
This week the task is a creative one: each team has to come up with an advertising campaign for a new hi-fi product, and the item is one of Sugar's own, a prototype he wants to launch in America.
Eight contestants remain and Sir Alan Sugar has had to separate two of them following a bust-up. The task tests their negotiating skills as they have to convince celebrities to donate something personal for auction.
A chance to catch up with what happened in the first six episodes. Eight candidates remain in the fight to become Sir Alan Sugar's apprentice.
The candidates travel to find an agricultural product that can be transformed into a commodity and sold for profit at a City farmers' market. One team picks fruit from the hedgerows of Berkshire to make jam, while the other buys blue cheese and venison to make soup.
Sir Alan Sugar invites the remaining candidates to Tottenham Hotspur for one of the club's biggest fixtures. They must market a text messaging service delivering team news to fans' phones.
Fouteen candidates compete in tests to win the prize of a job with Sir Alan Sugar. The five remaining candidates try to sell wares on a TV shopping channel.
Fourteen candidates compete in tests to win the prize of a job with Sir Alan Sugar. With a place in the final at stake, the candidates must compete as individuals in a round of interviews.
Fourteen candidates compete to win the prize of a highly paid job with Sir Alan Sugar. The two remaining candidates have their final project, a party each on a Thames riverboat.
Adrian Chiles talks to the winner of The Apprentice, his new boss, Sir Alan Sugar, and the losing candidates to discover the lessons they learned along the way.
As a new bunch of aspiring tycoons prepare to face Alan Sugar's challenges, a look at how the winner of the first series, Tim Campbell, fared in the real business world, with Sir Alan as his boss.
The return of The Apprentice brings us 14 brand new candidates, who will battle it out over 12 weeks in an attempt to win a six-figure salary job as Sir Alan Sugar's new apprentice. The first task involves both teams buying fruit and vegetables and selling them in Sir Alan's hometown.
With only 13 candidates left tensions rise as both teams must design and produce a calendar to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.
With only twelve candidates left, the teams are set to test their negotiation skills. Each team has to buy the same items and the team that brings back the most amount of money, wins.
With eleven candidates remaining, the candidiates must get a roasting in the catering business. They have two days to source, buy and prepare meals to sell at the Thames Festival.
The remaining ten candidates are given the task to promote a card that grants the bearer money for private jets. When they need a private jet, they use the card to show that they have the money.
This week, the nine remaining candidates are given the task to sell second-hand cars. With only a 10-hour time limit, they need to convince as many customers as possible to part with their hard earned cash.
The eight survivors try to succeed in the world of fashion at Top Shop in Oxford Circus, London. With Sir Alan and Top Shop owner Phillip Green paying the candidates a surprise visit, how will they cope as they try to find a way to appeal to the teenage fashion market?
As the series enters the second half, Sir Alan arrives at the house to tell the contestants that they must sell goods to traders.
As only six contestants remain, each team must let property. As usual the team that brings back the least amount of money, will lose, and one member, will get fired.
With only 6 people left, Sir Alan will set another challenging task. The winning team will all be fine and receive a treat but one member of the losing team will be fired.
On Week 11, the remaining 4 candidates are going it alone as they go into interview process again with 3 of the best of the people to help Sir Alan to make his decision on which two people to get fired.
Competition to win a highly paid job with multi-millionaire Sir Alan Sugar. The two finalists stage shows at Tower Bridge.
Ten celebrities face Alan Sugar in the boardroom as he sets them a tough task in this special edition of The Apprentice to raise money for Comic Relief.
The Apprentice returns with 16 brand new contestants, who will battle it out week-by-week for the chance to win a six-figure salary as Sir Alan Sugar's new apprentice. To start of the season, Sir Alan gives the apprentices the task of selling coffee out on the streets of London.
With one candidate fired last week, the remaining 15 are given the task to design products for dogs. These ideas must then be presented to three pet stores. But will any of the stores approve of what Sir Alan's potential apprentices have to offer them?
As usual, this week, the candidates need to make as much money as possible. However, in a test of entrepreneurial skills, the candidates are free to do whatever they want from a small starting fund given to them by Sir Alan. What drastic measures will the two teams have to take in order to make the largest profit and win the task?
It's time to see if the teams have a sweet tooth, with this weeks task involving the manufacturing and selling of sweets at London Zoo. The teams must decide which target market to aim for - parents or children - as well as integrating within the zoo and it's main animal attractions.
The candidates get a chance to earn thousands of pounds for Sir Alan by choosing and selling art photographs.
The remaining ten candidates get a special treat from Sir Alan, as they take a trip across the Channel. However, this will be no holiday, as the two teams are set the task to make as large a profit as possible by selling British food to the French.
It's time to see how well the candidates can negotiate, as they have to buy ten items for the lowest amount of money. It may seem to be a relatively simple task, but Sir Alan has asked for one particular item that the teams may have to look extremely hard for.
The candidates have to create their own brand of trainer. They are then required, with the help of first class advertising agencies, to market their new product by producing a poster and TV advert.
The candidates have to choose from a selection of innovative products which have never been seen before in the UK market. They are then required to sell as many of the three products they have chosen to retailers.
It's time for the candidates to practice their sales technique once more, as they have to sell live on TV to the public. However, this task is not as simple as it may seem, as the teams are also required to choose which specific products they want to sell. Who will sell, and who will make the worst cock-up?
A profile of the most successful candidates from the 2007 series of The Apprentice, offering an insight into the real people behind the professional personas seen on the show.
It's time for the five remaining candidates to face the interview process. Three candidates are set to face the chop, as Sir Alan looks to choose the best of the best from the final five.
A look back at the candidates who didn't make the cut. Talking about their worst moments, Sir Alan Sugar reveals how, each week, he decided who would hear that famous phrase - 'You're fired'.
The final week and only two candidates remain in the compitition. With former colleagues coming back to help, or possibly hinder, the final task of the season is to plan and present ideas of what to do with a £120 million site that Sir Alan has recently bought. This time however, the final boardroom will reveal who has been hired.
Sir Alan Sugar sets ten celebrities from the world of TV, comedy, sport and politics a gruelling task in this special edition of The Apprentice.
Sir Alan Sugar sets ten celebrities from the world of TV, comedy, sport and politics a gruelling task in this special edition of The Apprentice. Kirstie Allsop, Louise Redknapp, Lisa Snowden, Clare Balding and boss of Ann Summers, Jacqueline Gold compete against Kelvin McKenzie, Phil Tufnell, Lembit Opik, Nick Hancock and Hardeep Singh Kohli to raise as much money as possible for Sport Relief. This second part was shown as part of Sport Relief night.
Sir Alan Sugar must fire one of the celebrities. Who will it be?
To start of the new season, Sir Alan sets the task in which two teams, separating into the girls and the boys, have to sell fish out on the streets of London. There was much talk of the boys' team splitting into two factions: the first of these contained Alex, Simon, Lee and Ian while the second consisted of Raef, Michael and Nicholas. Coverage was shown of all members of the boys' team; however, some members of the girls' team (notably Shazia, Lucinda and Jenny) had almost no coverage in this week's episode.
Sir Alan Sugar puts 16 applicants through the job interview from hell. After an exhausting first task, the applicants are challenged to set up an overnight laundry business. They persuade customers to part with their washing (including hundreds of sheets from a hotel chain) then clean into the early hours. The following morning, following Sir Alan's warning not to lose a single sock, they return the clothes. Sir Alan's aides Nick and Margaret watch, and a second applicant will be fired.
It’s the toughest job on television and has given us some of the funniest TV moments ever – remember 2007’s winner Simon Ambrose and that trampoline? From taking cheese to France and ordering too many chickens to designing calendars and selling art, we love it when it all goes wrong. In this hilarious clip show, former candidates and celebrity fans relive some of the best moments to come out of the worst decisions ever made on the Apprentice.
The teams must take over a pub and turn it into a themed restaurant - however, the pub kitchens in which the teams will be based, have never served food before.
Four weeks into his search for an apprentice, Sir Alan challenges the teams to set up their own photography business at a busy shopping centre on the outskirts of London. Charged with taking and selling photos, the teams must work together to rake in the money. But with tempers flaring and the pressure rising, will the candidates come unstuck at the first hurdle?
Clip show in which celebrity fans and former contenders remember those motor mouth candidates who only just failed to become The Apprentice.
It's down to the farm for our Apprentice wannabes, as the teams take on an ice cream making challenge. Alpha and Renaissance must make three new flavours, and then launch two of those products into the untapped London market. The team which secures the most orders, by value, will win.
This week the two teams have to create a range of greetings cards for a new occasion. Three members of the loosing team end up in the board room with Sir Alan where one of them will be fired.
The candidates set off on a two-day business trip to Marrakesh, where they are challenged to find the best deals possible when buying 10 items in the city's markets. The budding entrepreneurs race against time and tempers flare as the deadline approaches. Margaret Mountford and Nick Hewer report back to Alan Sugar, who will cross-examine the two teams before dismissing another contestant
It's all about satin and sequins as Sir Alan Sugar sets both teams the challenge of selling wedding dresses at a wedding show at the Birmingham NEC. The candidates have just one day to visit specialist bridal businesses and select gowns that will be popular with brides-to-be at the show. Success in this task will depend on choosing the right products to sell - and with more than 300 exhibitors at the show, the competition is tougher than it's ever been before.
The candidates must design their own brand of tissues, and create both a TV commercial and printed advertisement in order to promote the product.
Sir Alan gives the teams a choice of supercars and challenges them to rent them out to members of the public. It's not hard to turn heads with such high-end merchandise, but interest soon dries up when the teams reveal the price tag to passers-by.
Episode 11
Episode 12
The sixteen new candidates meet Sir Alan for the first time and receive their challenge. They have to start cleaning companies and make as much money as possible. At the end of the show the first of the hoepfuls is fired.
After a punishing first task, there is no let-up for the candidates, as Sir Alan challenges them to set up a catering service for busy professionals in the City of London. In tough economic times, the teams must agree a distinctive identity to stand out from the competition and win new customers.
This week the two teams have to create a new piece of portable gym equipment and create a poster advertising it. They then have to demonstrate the equipment. At the end of the show one of the candidates from the loosing show is fired by Sir Alan.
Week four of Sir Alan Sugars search for his apprentice. Sir Alan Sugar challenges the teams to set up their own cosmetics business.
The candidates are given the task of a new breakfast cereal with a brand identity including a name for the cereal, design for the box and film a TV campaign that will appeal both to the parents and the children.
The candidates are tasked with taking a collection of items given to them by Sir Alan Sugar and selling them for the most proffit.
With nine candidates remaining, Sir Alan sends them to the North of England, where they must select two new innovative products to sell to trade.
Alan Sugar sends the candidates to Margate on the Kent coast, where they are challenged to produce an eye-catching series of posters and leaflets designed to attract tourists to the seaside resort. They then have to pitch their campaigns to tourism industry experts, residents and dignitaries, with one of the losing team members ending up in the firing line
The teams interview suppliers of baby equipment, select two products, and sell them on to a potential 10,000 customers at the country's biggest baby show.
The teams must select products which they believe will sell the best during an hour of live television. They must then sell these on-screen themselves.
There's no place to hide as the final five candidates face four of Sir Alan's trusted advisors in face-to-face interviews.
Episode 12
Lord Sugar meets a fresh batch of candidates in his search for an apprentice, as another series of the business-based reality TV show begins. The first task for the candidates is to produce a range of sausages ready for sale the next morning. They are given a crash-course in crafting the perfect sausage, before hitting the streets at the crack of dawn in the hope of selling their stock, under the watchful eyes of Nick Hewer and Karren Brady. At the end of the day, one candidate will be fired.
Following an early morning call summoning the candidates to Heathrow airport, hopes are high for a sunshine getaway. No such luck for the candidates, though, as Lord Sugar sets the task of designing and creating a brand new beach accessory. The task is centred on creating something completely original for the nation's sun worshipers, along with an eye-catching poster to promote their product. Candidates must then pitch their product to three big retailers in the hopes of securing orders and avoiding a place in the boardroom. A surprise result leads to a fierce boardroom battle, where one more candidate is faced with hearing Lord Sugar's immortal words "You're fired".
The candidates seize the opportunity to impress Lord Sugar as they take over an industrial bakery. The teams are each given a market stall from which they try to tempt hungry customers with their baked goods, and they go head-to-head to pitch for the business of a high-class hotel, a restaurant and a coffee shop. Nick and Karren keep an eye on proceedings as the teams work to keep up with orders, and when the teams face Lord Sugar in the boardroom, one candidate is fired.
The teams are at the Science Museum, where they have to select two innovative new products to sell to trade. One of the members of the team which loses the challenge is failed by Sir Alan at the end of the show.
It is week five, and the candidates boldly enter the world of fashion. Lord Sugar ups the ante when he challenges the teams to open pop-up shops at the Trafford Centre in Manchester - one of Europe's largest shopping centres. The teams must select ranges of clothing from some of London's most up-and-coming designers, and are tasked with charming the fashionistas to allow them to represent their brand at retail. Under the ever-watchful eyes of Nick and Karren, the teams swap their business suits for some cool clobber and use every trick in the book to market and promote their stores. In the boardroom, one candidate on the losing team faces a serious dressing-down from Lord Sugar, who is in an unforgiving mood.
The battle to become Lord Sugar's next apprentice intensifies as the remaining candidates reach the series' half-way mark. After a rude awakening from the boss, the candidates are set to work creating branding and advertising for a new multi-purpose household cleaner. The teams are tasked with producing a spotless TV and radio advertising campaign, and try to clean up when they pitch to ad agency heads and industry experts. As Nick and Karren look on, the campaigns cause raised eyebrows as some of the candidates lose focus. It gets messy in the boardroom, as Lord Sugar wipes the floor with the losing team. Another of this year's prospects discovers it's the end of the road as Lord Sugar sends them packing with the words 'You're Fired'.
The remaining candidates head to Pinewood film studios in Buckinghamshire, where they are challenged to create personal movie experiences that give consumers a chance to star in their own feature films. Both teams stretch their creative muscles and put together car races, rollercoaster rides and encounters with sharks, before visiting Westfield shopping centre in London to promote their creations to the public.
The teams must represent British crisp companies hoping to break into the German market.
Alan Sugar summons the seven remaining candidates in the heart of the City and challenges them to purchase a series of unusual items at bargain prices. The teams are split into boys and girls as Karren Brady and Nick Hewer oversee their efforts to find the best deals.
Alan Sugar challenges the remaining candidates to set up their London tour company and provide open-top bus excursions for tourists. The budding entrepreneurs also have to map out walking routes to show visitors a lesser known side of the capital, and bid for a potentially lucrative deal with a travel agency.
As the series draws to a close and tension mounts, this programme profiles the remaining five candidates, revealing the true stories behind their super-confident egos.
Lord Sugar's search for an apprentice reaches its penultimate week, and the five remaining candidates face a different type of challenge: they each have to face a gruelling interview process on their own. There is nowhere to hide as they are grilled by four of Lord Sugar's trusted business colleagues, one of whom is a very familiar face. These advisors then feed their opinions back to Lord Sugar, and three candidates are fired in the boardroom as he decides who is worthy of a place in the final.
Lord Sugar looks back on the unsuccessful candidates in the 2010 series. From making sausages and selling clothes to creating a character for a brand new cleaning product, this year's budding businessmen and women have been tested to destruction. Reliving their worst decisions, Lord Sugar reveals how, each week, he decided who would hear his famous phrase: "You're fired".
After eleven gruelling tasks of the job interview from hell, it's finally time for Lord Sugar to choose his next Apprentice. The two finalists are faced with the final task of launching and presenting a new premium alcohol drink to an audience of over one hundred industry experts. Dara O Briain then presents the first opportunity to hear from the winner, as well as the boss himself, in front of an audience including all of this year's candidates. Quizzing the runner-up are comedian Jack Dee, entrepreneur Sarah Willingham and columnist Amanda Platell.
The stakes are raised higher than ever in this series of The Apprentice, as this time there is no six-figure salary job on offer. Instead, the sixteen candidates are vying for one life changing opportunity: £250,000 investment to start their own company, with Lord Sugar as their business partner. Lord Sugar wastes no time showing the candidates he means business, using the first task to challenge his potential partners' entrepreneurial skills. Each team are given £250 to invest in fresh fruit and vegetables, and Lord Sugar makes it clear that he expects a high return. Packed off to New Covent Garden Market, the teams race to buy the best produce at the cheapest price and set to work adding value to their haul by making juices, fruit salads and soups, and pasta to tempt London's hungry workforce. With the pressure on to exploit both the lucrative breakfast and lunch trade, it's not long before the tension rises and the blame game begins. The highly competitive candidates desperately attempt to sell their stock, bring back the highest return and avoid the firing line in the boardroom. But for one candidate, business dreams are crushed as they are the first to hear the dreaded words 'You're fired'.
An early morning delivery sends the candidates into the fast-paced world of technology. Lord Sugar challenges the teams to think big and go global as they must design, launch and promote a new mobile phone application. In the battle for downloads, the teams must create a mobile app and pitch it to three influential technology websites to become 'App of the Day', as well as attempt to convince a huge crowd of bloggers and software experts at a major gaming fair to support the application and increase downloads. With their apps downloadable for 24 hours, a dramatic result leads to a fierce boardroom battle, and one more candidate faces Lord Sugar's immortal words: 'You're fired'.
The candidates are called to meet Lord Sugar at London's famous Savoy Hotel to be briefed on their next task. Following a 220 million pound refurbishment, the hotel requires a number of last-minute items prior to its grand reopening. The business hopefuls have nine hours to source ten products, and their powers of negotiation are pushed to the limit as they attempt to track down everything on the hotel's unusual shopping list and purchase them at the lowest possible price. Nick and Karren watch on as the candidates get increasingly desperate in their attempts to find quality items at bargain prices. With the deadline looming, tension reaches fever pitch as last-minute deals are struck. Both teams are faced with a dash to the Savoy to have their purchases inspected by the scrupulous eye of the hotel's general manager. Missing or incorrect items are subject to penalty fines, and this leads to a dramatic result in the boardroom. The losing team gets a grilling from Lord Sugar, and the blame game begins before one of the remaining candidates hears the fateful words: "You're fired!".
Lord Sugar gathers the candidates under the statue of Aphrodite at the British Museum, and reveals their next task: to set-up beauty treatment businesses in Birmingham. At the briefing, he re-balances the teams and personally appoints the project managers. The British beauty industry is worth 14 billion pounds annually, with the best margins in hands-on treatments, so Lord Sugar demands both teams offer these and sell cosmetic products off the back of them. After a choice of professional treatments have been offered to the teams, followed by a short wrangle over total body spray tan, the teams choose two treatments each and get down to some hands-on training. But one of the boys feels that touchy-feely beauty challenges his masculinity, and could worry his girlfriend. Under the watchful eye of Nick and Karren, the teams take their choices to Birmingham. One team goes for the city centre, while the other chooses an out-of-town mall. From now on it's a race to capture customers and get them into the treatment rooms. Products turn out to be easier to shift than getting the public to strip off, but in a desperate struggle to make money, juggling jobs and slashing prices puts profits at risk. In the boardroom the battle to survive gets ugly, until Lord Sugar calls it to order and declares: "You're Fired!".
In a pre-recorded briefing via a giant screen flanked by Karren and Nick, Lord Sugar has called the candidates to an advertising agency. Their task will be to create, brand and pitch a new pet food. But before they start Nick has a message from the boss - once again he picks the team leaders. One team chooses dogs, the other cats. Both teams split - one half to Lincolnshire to create the food, the other half staying at the agency to name and brand the product. Supported by Britain's biggest pet food manufacturer it looks like a breeze, but soon the teams are making some fateful decisions, sweeping aside advice from pet-loving focus groups and inventing product names so leftfield that even teammates can't understand them. Professional packaging for their products restores confidence momentarily, but the next job - to make commercials - plunges the teams into more confusion as they try to get creative. Animal auditions prove tricky and casting a male voice for a sexy female cat puts an actor on the spot. As the results are pitched to pet food experts and ad-men, optimism turns to cold reality. Analysis is fed back to Lord Sugar and the boardroom battle begins. No amount of barking or begging can save the doomed when it comes to the master's fateful command - 'You're fired'.
Alan Sugar calls the candidates to a rubbish dump, and challenges them to form junk-collection businesses. One half of each team has to haul the rubbish themselves while the others offer quotes on big clearances. Profits prove hard to come by with Cockney scrap dealers and quick-witted builders giving them a run for their money, and one project manager is reduced to tears by the grueling work.
The teams are called to gleaming offices in Fleet Street, home to London's oldest newspaper district. Lord Sugar informs the candidates they'll be creating and publishing a free magazine. But first he shuffles the teams, appointing the project managers. Free magazines earn money by selling advertising, but advertisers only buy space in titles with a surefire market. As such, the teams must choose a hit subject, produce appropriate editorial content and convince advertisers they will reach a big audience. As Karren keeps notes, one team is led downmarket by their editor with a low-brow lads' magazine. The other team, accompanied by 67-year old Nick, goes for the oldies market, and on the way comes up with some patronising names (causing raised eyebrows from Nick!). But despite some research with sprightly over-sixties, it soon descends into stereotypes. Karren winces as the lads' mag embraces innuendo and photoshoots get racy. Spot research on the street sends signals that the lads' mag may be off-course, but the magazine editor continues to push the boundaries. At the pitches, one team doesn't know what it's selling, while both teams fail to negotiate until it is almost too late. In the boardroom the final ad sales surprise Lord Sugar, leaving the losing team bickering in a blame game. But when the final page is turned, the end words are: "You're fired!".
The venue for the candidates' latest briefing is St Pancras International. With the next Eurostar about to leave, there is just time for Lord Sugar to brief and re-balance the personnel, and then it's off to Paris for half of each team. The others must stay back and choose some new British designs to sell to the French. It is a classic export task, with Lord Sugar on the lookout for proven ability to do business abroad. While the candidates in Paris arrange sales appointments for tomorrow, the London-based groups are treated to quirky products by entrepeneurs wanting a slice of the French market. There's everything from toys to top-end bikes. It is immediately clear that some of Lord Sugar's budding business partners know very little about the French, and even less about what they will buy. To help, he sets them up with a major French retailer, but the teams must fix all the other pitches. Street-based research gets lost in translation. Candidates struggle to describe in stuttering franglais items they haven't seen, while one candidate proves fluent in French, yet hopeless at diplomacy. When the teams regroup in Paris, the selected products look less attractive than they sounded. Squabbles ignite, but selling must begin. Paris retailers, baffled by the stumbling pitches, prove tough customers. Lord Sugar's top-end French chain store is characteristically stoney-faced. Back in the boardroom the teams are subjected to more hard-faced stares, this time from Lord Sugar on hearing that someone decided to employ a playground game to decide who would pitch. And one team discovers it picked a winning product with some blockbusting sales figures. But the losers face an inquisition and then the verbal guillotine: "You're fired!".
The candidates are enjoying their day off when Lord Sugar turns up at the door. Suddenly it's down to work after he tells them to make, brand and pitch a new type of upmarket biscuit. Project managers get picked (in one case reluctantly) and then it's time for the teams to split up, with half off to a biscuit development lab in Swansea. The teams have two days to get the baking done and packaging designed. In Wales there are sharp elbows in evidence in one team as two of the candidates vie to get their idea made, whilst the other team goes straight for an after-school treat. The ultra-competitive team's focus group munches its way through lots of crunchy offers without a favourite emerging. No-one likes ideas suggested by fellow team members and in the end the decision is a compromise. On the other team, the branding for kids ends up losing precision and no-one can understand its selling point. Hard work in the development lab produces professional looking biscuits. Packaging is equally impressive but the names and invented straplines make for confusing pitch rehearsals and plenty of backstabbing. At the pitches one team tries to create a mini-drama, changing the script twice and still failing to communicate the idea. In the end both teams stumble through pitches that are as crumbly as their biscuits. The hard-nosed buyers from some of Britain's biggest supermarkets appear not to bite. They report back to Lord Sugar who reveals the outcome in the boardroom - the result is a shock to Lord Sugar and to both teams. On the losing team the culprit is uncovered. After some spirited defence and a few regrets it's a close call...then - 'You're fired!'.
Called to a north London wholesale warehouse, the teams are met by a nostalgic Lord Sugar, who tells the teams that it was from places like this that he started out buying low to sell high. He gives both teams a pallet carrying 250 pounds' worth of wholesale goods. They must find out what sells best, then re-invest in those products. It is a simple exercise in following the money and increasing sales. The pallets contain cheap nodding dogs, pricey pressure washers, duvet sets, cut-price sunglasses, brollies, watches and more. The prospects for the task look good, and there are quick volunteers for the team leader roles. They have the whole of London to sell to: street markets, houses door-to-door, offices and maps to help find more. The trick is to match the products to the potential market, but some get it badly wrong, taking tacky stuff to snobby areas, or high-priced goods to East End pound shops. For some selling comes naturally, but for others it's a humiliating struggle. In the battle to sell, the teams start to forget the challenge. One team wantonly under-invests, while the other returns to buy an even wider range of products. Arguments about how best to accumulate cash spilt the candidates, leaving both teams in disarray. Lord Sugar nurses hopes for high returns, but in the boardroom they are dashed by dismal results. Turning on the losers, he vents his fury on their performance - particularly their logistics - and the backstabbing begins. In the end there is little to choose between the final three, then the decision is made and an emotional loser hears the words "You're fired!".
As this year's series of The Apprentice draws to a close and the tension mounts, this programme profiles the remaining five candidates. Revealing the true stories behind their super-confident egos, we discover what really makes these budding business men and women tick. Family, friends and former bosses, along with Lord Sugar's trusted aides Nick Hewer and Karren Brady, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the final five personalities as they vie for the prize of a quarter-million pound investment and a partnership with Lord Sugar.
At a shopping mall in the City of London, Lord Sugar points out to the teams the wide range of successful fast-food chains and tells them to invent their own outlet, develop a unique cuisine, open it to the public and pitch the concept to him and experts from the fast-food industry. The teams get two brand new sites in the centre of the West End to turn into protoype fast-food outlets. One team goes for Mexican meals, the other for British pie and mash. Both teams split - one half to cook, the other to make the branding match the concept. The Mexican restaurant gets called Caracas because it sounds like maracas, while the pies get named after historic Britains; except that, once the branding has been done, Nick casts doubt on the British credentials of Christopher Columbus. When the restaurants open to the public the customers wait for fajitas and nachos to emerge from the kitchen - cold! Pies, mash and gravy served piping hot in cardboard boxes causes a rethink on presentation, and by the time the two-hour trial run is over there is plenty to fix before Lord Sugar turns up. The teams pitch to the experts who mark both business concepts out of ten in four crucial categories: customer service, the meal, branding, and whether the idea could work on the high street. Marks are revealed in the boardroom. The winners go straight to the final. The losers face the firing line, and their concept gets shredded. In the end, Lord Sugar places his order: "You're fired!".
With just days to go before Lord Sugar announces his new business partner in The Apprentice, comedian and frustrated fan Dara O Briain shares his theories on how to become a winning candidate. Using evidence from Series 7, Dara analyses the common mistakes candidates make, as well as the clever tactics that keep them in the running.
After eleven tasks, it's finally time for Lord Sugar to choose his business partner. The four finalists each have to face a gruelling interview process on their own. There is nowhere to hide as each of them is grilled by four of Lord Sugar's trusted business colleagues and advisors. Each candidate will also have their business ideas tested to destruction, as their plans for their business with Lord Sugar are put under the microscope. It's the ultimate test of character, as every aspect of their personal and professional lives is scrutinised and judged by the influential interviewers. After they have made their assessments, Lord Sugar's four advisors feed back their opinions and explain their verdicts to him in the boardroom. As the candidates take their turn to plead their case, three will have their dreams shattered as Lord Sugar delivers his final ruling on who will become his business partner.
Sixteen candidates begin their fight for one-life changing opportunity - a quarter of a million pounds to start up a business with Lord Sugar as their partner. In the first task, the boys compete against the girls. Each team must buy blank goods, add value by printing a design onto them and then sell them from stalls on the streets of London. It is a test of the candidates' creativity, marketing and salesmanship.
Lord Sugar calls the teams to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Their task is to invent a new household gadget, create a prototype and pitch for orders to some of the country's biggest retailers.
Lord Sugar decides to mix up the teams for the third task, which is to come up with a new condiment; one team goes for a Mediterranean-style ketchup, and the other a chilli chutney. Half of each team head to a condiment factory in Essex to make their product while the others stay in London to design brands and set up sales appointments.
Lord Sugar asks the teams to set up second-hand shops in London's fashionable East End, home to a thriving market in retro and refurbished household goods. The teams must source second-hand stock from auctions, junk shops and car boot sales, and resell at a profit during a one-day-sale from their respective shops.
Lord Sugar turns the candidates' attentions towards the highly profitable keep fit industry. The teams have two days to devise and brand a new fitness class that reflects recent popular trends like Zumba or Body Pump, which attract gym members to classes in big numbers. They must then pitch their routines to leading health and fitness chains, who will pay for the rights to run them if they like what they see.
It is week six, and Lord Sugar sends the candidates to Scotland, where they must make gourmet grub and sell it on the streets of Edinburgh. The teams decide on Italian meatballs and Scottish stew, but before heading north there is a spot of market research at one of London's fancy street food fairs. It is clear from what is served up that there is more to this business than dishing up a burger and chips.
The teams are called to a warehouse in Essex; Lord Sugar tells the candidates that this is how he started out, buying wholesale goods and selling them on for a profit. Both teams are given 150 pounds to spend on products of their choice, with Essex as their selling ground. Products are purchased and hopes for big profits are pinned on a collection of mops, MP3 players, fake tan and false eyelashes.
The eighth task starts with an early morning trip to Waterloo Station, but the teams are not going anywhere; underneath the railway arches is a big screen with a message from Lord Sugar. He tells the teams to take a look around; they are surrounded by graffiti, and this is what they will be selling next. The teams have one day to meet and convince up-and-coming urban artists that they are the right team to represent them in a one-off gallery sale.
The longest champagne bar in Europe at St Pancras International is the venue chosen by Lord Sugar to launch the latest task. But he is not buying the teams bubbly; he is setting them the challenge of raising awareness of English sparkling wine, which rivals champagne in quality, but not in market dominance. It is a real issue for the industry - can the teams devise a brand and identity for the British product to compete with cava, prosecco and champagne? Their marketing campaigns will be judged on merit by discerning wine industry experts.
The candidates are called to meet Lord Sugar on a rooftop overlooking the City of London, where countless financial deals are done on a daily basis. For one day only, the teams will be representing an online daily deals website that offers Londoners exclusive deals in hotel stays, beauty treatments, posh dinners and premium products. It is a test in the teams' negotiation skills; they must strike the right deal, get a good discount and deliver their offers to the website by 7pm that evening. Nick and Karren watch on as the teams get increasingly desperate in their attempts to secure quality deals at the right price. Businesses are bemused as candidates try to negotiate offers on everything from candles and teeth whitening to five-star meals and fish pedicures. With the deadline looming, tensions and negotiations reach fever pitch and both teams face a final dash to the website's HQ to have their deals approved; only those that meet the website's exacting standards will go live for twenty four hours. In the boardroom there is a landslide victory, and the losers mount a desperate bid to stay in the running; it seems that no-one is safe from those fateful words: 'You're fired'.
The candidates give their assessment of their personal triumphs and failures and the lessons they have learned during the process. Not to mention the bitching, backstabbing and the blame games they have had to overcome to get this far. The programme investigates the five contenders' family backgrounds and reveals more of their characters as friends and family talk about the childhood, upbringing and personality traits that have shaped the final five into who they are today. Nick Hewer and Karren Brady share their thoughts on the candidates' performance thus far and assess the strengths and weaknesses of each individual, explaining what qualities they believe Lord Sugar sees in the final five.
Lord Sugar calls the teams to Burlington Arcade, a luxury shopping centre in London's West End. He spells out that in the current economic climate Britain still has a taste for the finer things in life, but they should come with an affordable price tag. He reveals that the candidates' latest task is to consider affordable luxury retail markets and come up with a new product range.
They knew they had to impress Britain's toughest boss. If they failed, they'd get the chop. 16 hopefuls went into battle for Lord Sugar's £250,000 investment. Now, he explains how some candidates lost the plot completely and others survived by the skin of their teeth.
The final episode of this series sees Lord Sugar name his business partner. The final four candidates are called to the Institute of Directors in the City, where Lord Sugar asks them to pitch their business concepts to him right there on the spot. Then it is down to business with Margaret Mountford, Mike Soutar, Matthew Riley and tough-talking Claude Littner. Lord Sugar's four advisors scrutinise the candidates' suitability to go into partnership with the Boss
Sixteen ambitious entrepreneurs fight for a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar. Each team is given a shipping container of imported products at midnight and has until 4pm to shift it all.
The candidates are tasked with developing a flavoured beer; two candidates who want Lord Sugar to invest in the drinks business go head-to-head to prove themselves.
The candidates must come up with a unique piece of flat-pack furniture, before producing prototypes and pitching their products to retailers.
The fight for Lord Sugar's £250,000 investment continues with farmyard fun, as this task sees the candidates open their own farm shops. The hopefuls swap their high heels and city brogues for wellies as they set off to source stock from farms across the South East. One team decides to specialize in pricey buffalo produce, while the others try to churn a profit from premium milk. The teams divide to search the Home Counties for farm fresh produce, but some are left high and dry when they are sent shopping on a shoestring; and there is trouble for others as they find out - with minutes to spare - that stock levels are dangerously low. On sales day, the candidates set up shop in trendy east London; one team finds their takeaway's soups and spuds tricky to shift, while the other team finds there is an appetite for milkshakes. One candidate takes a gamble by using the task to prove their business idea for Lord Sugar works. In the boardroom, even the winning team gets a telling off. The losing team leaves Lord Sugar with a dilemma, but eventually one candidate faces the firing finger and hears the words 'You're fired!'.
The candidates face an early start, as a pre-dawn call informs them that they are off on a business trip to Dubai. Bags are quickly packed, and then the teams are straight off to Gatwick and the UAE. In the almost-finished foyer of a new multi-million pound hotel, the candidates discover their task: find and secure items needed for the hotel at the lowest possible prices. One team tries to use local knowledge to their advantage by scouring the souks for bargains, while others want to track down items fast and they head for a mega mall. But in the heat of Dubai, it's not long before the candidates start to sweat; mistakes with measurements leave one team with a big problem, while waiting time costs others dearly. Negotiation skills are pushed to the limit, and identifying the items proves tricky as some of the candidates get lost in translation. As darkness falls there is a final dash round Dubai, before racing back to the hotel where the hotel manager casts a discerning eye over their purchases. In the boardroom there are surprises in store and a true boardroom battle commences, but the holiday is over for the fifth candidate as Lord Sugar sends them packing with the words 'You're fired!'.
Called to Guildhall in the City of London, the candidates are given their latest task: putting on a corporate away day for two major clients. With a budget of 5,000 pounds, they must put on a team building event for a day, but the fun and games start early when one team spends so much time thinking through themes that they are late to meet their client. The teams set off in search of food and activities, but by mid-afternoon panic sets in for some as they realise they don't have enough to fill the day, and they wrestle with whether to make a last minute booking that could prove risky. The next day, the teams must put on their events; one decides on an army theme, but they come under fire when the rain sets in. The others settle on back to school, but will their pricey activities get top marks? To win, teams must balance profit with customer satisfaction - but in the boardroom there are surprises in store and one unhappy customer, as Lord Sugar points the finger at someone and tells them 'You're fired!'.
The candidates are called to the Tower of London, where Lord Sugar tells them that their latest task is to sell products at the Motorhome and Caravan Show, and they are left with no doubt that he expects them all to impress. Half head off to test drive camping accessories and win over suppliers, but when both teams choose the same products, there is disappointment in store for some. Both project managers head straight to the show to select a high ticket item worth thousands, but matching products to punters proves a tricky task and piles on the pressure for both teams. On sales day, the teams divide, with half pushing must-have accessories, from electric bikes to rooftop boats, while the rest try to pull off showstopping sales of top end trailers. With high end products topping out at £17,000, every minute counts in the last minute push for a winning sale.
There is love is in the air this week as the candidates are called to London's busiest registry office in Marylebone Town Hall.They learn that this week's task is to come up with a new online dating concept backed up by an original advertising campaign. One of the candidates from the losing team is fired by Lord Sugar at the end of the show.
The candidates are called to the restaurant at the top of the Gherkin in London, where they learn that their latest task is to create and brand their own ready meal. At the end of the show one of the candidates from the losing team is fired by Lord Sugar.
The candidates receive an early morning call, telling them to gather in the sitting room of their London townhouse. Still in their pyjamas, the teams are briefed on this week's task: to grow a business from scratch in 48 hours. Starting with £150, they must source stock for a market stall, then buy more of their best sellers, before opening shops the next day. Before sending them off, Lord Sugar mixes the teams up and decides that, for this task, the boys should compete against the girls. After deciding what to sell, they head straight out to source stock. One team settles on fashion, while the rest plump for homeware - but while some get off to a flying start, others lag behind. Stock sorted, the teams get selling from their stalls. Will their chosen stock fly off the shelves? The next day the teams sell from shops built from converted shipping containers in London's trendy Shoreditch. One takes a cheap and cheerful approach to stocking out their shop, while the others go for high-margin minimalism. As the minutes tick by, one team rolls the dice on an all-or-nothing product.
As this series of The Apprentice draws to a close and the tension mounts, this programme profiles the remaining five candidates. Revealing the true stories behind the super confident egos, we discover what really makes these budding business men and women tick. Parents, friends and employees, along with Lord Sugar's trusted aides Nick Hewer and Karren Brady, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the final five personalities, and look back over their journey in the process. Plus we hear from their fans back home, and find out just who are the Final Five.
The candidates receive an early morning phone call from Lord Sugar, who tells them they have 24 hours to brush up on their business plans, before being interviewed by four of his trusted advisors. The next day, business plans in hand, it's off to the Institute of Directors. Lord Sugar explains that his advisors will be scrutinizing their plans and credentials, before feeding back to him. The nerves kick in straight away for the Final Five, as the anxious candidates are called in one by one to meet Lord Sugar's hand-picked hit-squad. Armed with CVs and business plans, the advisors waste no time in taking the candidates to task. Egos are attacked, book-cooking uncovered, and personalities pulverised. There are anxious moments for some, and extraordinary things uncovered as the candidates are pushed to the limit. In an emotional boardroom, Lord Sugar receives some surprising news, and someone feels the full force of his fury, before a shock exit leaves everyone open-mouthed. In the fight to make the final, dreams come crashing down. Only two can make the grade, as the rest all kiss the investment goodbye as they hear the words 'You're fired!'.
With Lord Sugar on the cusp of choosing his new business partner, this programme provides a chance to look back on the candidates who fell before the final hurdle, and the tasks that tested them to the limit. From making beer and selling caravans to thinking up an online dating concept, this year's budding business partners have been pushed to breaking point. Lord Sugar takes us through the best, and worst, decisions made by this year's candidates, and explains how each week he decided who would hear the fateful phrase 'You're fired!'.
With just two candidates left battling it out for the £250,000 investment, the finalists receive a call telling them to travel to events venue One Marylebone. There they are met by Lord Sugar, who informs them that their final task is launch their businesses. They must come up with brands and launch campaigns before unveiling them at an event. There is a race to recruit old candidates as the finalists build their teams; the next day, it is straight down to business building brands. There's trouble in store for one candidate when their chosen name proves unpopular with the public, and others see red over what colours to use in their logo. As the finalists fight it out, there are surprises in store and anxiety abounds. On launch day, the candidates put the finishing touches to their pitches, but with so many distractions will they be pitch perfect? The finalists step up to present their plans, but under the scrutiny of industry experts and Lord Sugar, nerves threaten to take centre stage, and there are tears before the night is out. In the boardroom, business plans are picked over, and launch campaigns assessed, but only one can win. It's heartbreak for one and elation for the other as Lord Sugar finally picks his business partner. Dara O Briain then meets the winner, runner-up and Lord Sugar himself to discuss the trials and tribulations of the last 12 weeks. They are joined by all the candidates, Karren, Nick and a panel including Lorraine Kelly and Monshi Monster creator Michael Acton Smith.
With the start of the tenth series of The Apprentice just days away, Ten Years of The Apprentice takes a sideways glance at the last decade of Britain's best-loved business show. From the quest for a kosher chicken in Marrakesh to series nine's infamous 'abdication', relive ten years of boardroom bust-ups, soaring sales successes and catastrophic business failures. A dig through The Apprentice archives unearths a who's who of candidates past, from Stuart Baggs 'The Brand' to 'Jedi' Jim Eastwood, as well as the unstoppable sales machine, Ruth Badger. With the help of Nick Hewer, Karren Brady and Lord Sugar himself, Ten Years of The Apprentice takes a trip down Boardroom Boulevard, wanders up Wheelie Case Way and flags a taxi on Firing Street, as well as taking an irreverent rummage through the boardroom store-cupboard.
The battle to become Lord Sugar's next business partner begins with a selling task.
The candidates are asked to design a piece of wearable technology.
Each team must create their own range of home fragrance products.
The candidates are set a 21st-century task - creating video channels for YouTube.
The teams have two days to create their very own coach tours.
Lord Sugar asks the candidates to design a brand new board game.
Lord Sugar asks the candidates to come up with an advertising campaign for a soft drink.
The candidates attempt to crack the rural market at the Royal Bath and West show.
Lord Sugar tells the candidates that he wants to test their negotiation skills.
The candidates are asked to create a brand new range of premium puddings.
As the tenth season of "The Apprentice" draws to a close and the tension mounts, a profile of the five remaining candidates.
The remaining candidates are interviewed by four of Lord Sugar's trusted advisers.
With the final just days away, and Lord Sugar on the cusp of choosing his new business partner, we look back on the candidates who fell before the final hurdle.
The two finalists must launch their businesses with the help of some former candidates.
The Apprentice is back and we’ve got your exclusive first look at this year’s candidates. Matt Edmondson gives his own take on the interview process.
Ambitious entrepreneurs start their fight for a life-changing investment.
The candidates must create a new shampoo brand and design an advertising campaign for it.
The candidates must find nine items and negotiate the best possible price.
Lord Sugar instructs the candidates to tap into one of the UK's biggest markets - pet products. The task is simple - choose some products that pet lovers will like and sell them at the London Pet Show.
Missed The Apprentice so far? Get up to speed for the rest of the series with Matt Edmondson's mid-series round up.
At the London Library in St James's Square, Lord Sugar sets the candidates a surprising task - write and design a children's book, and record an accompanying CD, before selling it to London's bookshops.
It's halfway, and it's hard graft. Donning hi-vis jackets and steel-toe-capped boots, the candidates travel to meet Lord Sugar in a south London builder's yard. Their task is to set up and run a handyman business.
At the house, the off-duty candidates are interrupted by Lord Sugar, who sets them his latest challenge - open a discount store and, in two days, turn products into profit.
It's week eight and the candidates are taken back in time to the Museum of Childhood. Lord Sugar instructs the teams to become party planners, with just two days to set up and host a children's party for some high-spending clients.
Last year’s winner of The Apprentice, Mark Wright (remember him?), recently quoted Lord Sugar as saying, ‘You make money from property and do business for fun.’ Which perhaps reflects the fact that property mega-deals are what have lifted Sugar from middling tech entrepreneur to billionaire. So why not have a task on The Apprentice that matches the boss’s business? Versatile and Connexus are summoned to the top of the South Bank Tower, where Sugar dispatches them to the London property jungle. There they must put their desperate sales patter to work as estate agents for multimillion-pound developments. Ask yourself, would you buy a home from these people?
Lord Sugar summons the remaining candidates to the London Aquatic Centre, where he gives them the task of creating and producing a new health food, before pitching their idea to three major retailers. The teams have two days to invent an original snack, build a brand, and then achieve orders from leading figures in the industry. One team tries to impress with rejuvenating superfood snack bars, while the other opts for vegetable crisps. But there is nowhere for the candidates to hide as chaos ensues, with confusion over recipes, last-minute mistakes, and painful pitches to industry experts, before Lord Sugar announces a shock result.
As the 11th series of `The Apprentice' draws to a close and the tension mounts, we profile the remaining candidates.
The battle to become Lord Sugar's business partner is nearing the end, as the remaining few candidates have 24 hours to brush up on their business plans and face the formidable interview process. It's time to get a grilling from four of Lord Sugar's trusted advisors, Claude Littner, Claudine Collins, Mike Soutar and new addition Linda Plant.
Lord Sugar is on the cusp of choosing his new business partner. He now offers a chance to look back on the candidates who fell before the final hurdle, and the tasks that tested them to the limit.
The two remaining candidates are summoned to London's City Hall, where Lord Sugar sets them their final task. They must launch their business, including creating a brand and unveiling their campaign to an audience of 200 leading industry experts. One finalist has a bad start when they ignore advice from a market leader, while the other must prove their numbers stack up when they encounter potential funding issues. In the boardroom, business plans are evaluated and advertising campaigns assessed, before Lord Sugar selects his next business partner.
The Apprentice is back and we’ve got your exclusive first look at this year’s candidates. Matt Edmondson gives his own take on the interview process.
A new group of candidates set off on their first task - selling collectables at Wimbledon Car Boot Sale.
The candidates are summoned to the Istituto Marangoni where Lord Sugar tells them that their next task they must create an advertising campaign for jeans made from Japanese denim.
Lord Sugar decides it's time to mix up the boys and girls. It is a sticky task ahead, as the candidates must design and manufacture their own brand of sweets and head to the sunny coastal town of Brighton to sell them.
The candidates are summoned to Drapers' Hall, where they learn that for their next task they will be taking over part of the world-famous department store Liberty of London. The teams have to introduce a new product line to promote and sell in the store, and they must also run a personal-shopping service for some of London's most discerning shoppers. It is boom or bust as the teams have two days to fight it out and see who can turn premium stock into a pretty penny.
Lord Sugar wants the candidates to help secure investment for someone else. They must help two entrepreneurs launch their new cycling product and get the public to invest through crowdfunding.
Lord Sugar sends the candidates out to work the night shift. They have to stay awake, find nine items, negotiate the best possible price and be back at the Shard by 6am. The team that spends the least amount of money will win the task.
Lord Sugar instructs the candidates to tap into one of the UK's biggest markets - the boating and leisure industry. The task is simple, pick the right products and sell them at Poole Harbour Boat Show.
The candidates are summoned to the National Portrait Gallery, where Lord Sugar instructs them to organise an exclusive late-night event at two of London's biggest tourist attractions - the London Aquarium and Madame Tussauds. In under 36 hours, each team must organise and host an event to remember, keeping an eye on profits but also pleasing the punters. From setting up refreshments and entertainment to making sure they sell enough tickets to fill their venue, both teams have a challenge on their hands.
After a leisurely morning in the house, the candidates are shocked when Karren and Claude appear at the front door to give a briefing that is 'out of this world'. For the next task, the teams have to push their imagination and design skills to the limit to create a new virtual reality game, before pitching it to a huge audience of gaming enthusiasts at the world-famous Comic Con exhibition.
As the teams move into week 10, the remaining candidates are summoned to the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich. Here Lord Sugar sets them the task of creating and producing the spirit of the moment - gin. With the final in sight, the candidates are all desperate to impress. However, one team gets a little carried away with the taste testing, getting tipsy before the day has even begun, while on the other team, their pitches hit rock bottom when a key retailer reveals they don't like the colour, taste or branding of the gin. One candidate is left with a bitter taste in their mouth when the rest of the team turns against them, and tempers reach boiling point. Who will be fired?
The battle to become Lord Sugar's business partner is nearing the end, as the remaining candidates have 24 hours to brush up on their business plans and face the formidable interview process. It's time to get a grilling from four of Lord Sugar's trusted advisors - Claude Littner, Claudine Collins, Mike Soutar and Linda Plant. After plans are scrutinised and characters questioned, Lord Sugar selects his two finalists.
The two finalists receive a call summoning them to London's City Hall. Lord Sugar informs them that their final task is to launch their business by creating a brand and unveiling their campaign in front of a packed audience full of industry experts. A few old faces return as the two finalists choose key colleagues to try to help them secure the £250,000 investment, and it is straight to work as they set out to build a brand, make a TV advert and create a company fit for Lord Sugar. In the boardroom, business plans are evaluated and ad campaigns are assessed, but there can only one winner. It is heartbreak for one and ecstasy for the other, as Lord Sugar finally picks his next business partner.
Ten weeks ago, 18 candidates arrived in the boardroom in the hope of becoming Alan Sugar's next business partner. As series 12 draws to a close, this episode profiles the remaining job applicants. It features interviews with parents, partners and friends, along with Lord Sugar's aides, Karren Brady and Claude Littner.
Ahead of the final, Lord Sugar looks back on the tasks from this year's series and assesses the candidates' performances. Helped by previously unseen insights from Karren Brady and Claude Littner, the business tycoon goes through the best and worst decisions made by the contestants and looks back on the boardroom bust-ups, before revealing how he decided which candidates he would fire.
Alan Sugar begins another search for a business partner, challenging a new group of candidates to design and manufacture their own burgers to sell to the public in London. Chaos in the kitchen throws one team into disarray, while the other team wastes valuable time deciding how to label their product. Back in the boardroom, tensions rise as the candidates face Lord Sugar for the first time.
The candidates are summoned to Stoke Park, a five-star hotel in Buckinghamshire, where they learn that this week's challenge will see them working as interior designers. The contestants are tasked with transforming a bedroom at the hotel, before pitching their ideas to the hotel manager and a leading interior designer. However, both teams encounter troublesome DIY issues, and their concepts are picked apart during the daunting pitches. Back in the boardroom, Lord Sugar sends another contestant from the losing team home.
This week, Lord Sugar summons the contestants to London's new Design Museum, where the teams find out that they are to create, programme and sell a prototype robot. The boys team create a product targeting the over 60s market, but their patronising approach does not impress the retailers. Meanwhile, the girls opt for the children's market, but an appalling pitch sees their team in melt down.
As the competition continues, Lord Sugar instructs the candidates that this week's task is to set up and run a corporate box, and sell merchandise to the masses at the Women's FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in London. The team members chosen to organise the boxes meet their match when they come face to face with the clients and their negative comments. The following day at the big game, guests in one of the corporate boxes are unhappy as supplies run dry, while those selling merchandise outside struggle with last minute pricing strategies.
As Lord Sugar celebrates his 70th birthday, the contestants are tasked to a shopping spree across London to purchase items that mark milestones in his life and career. The candidates have one day to find nine specific items at the best possible price, before meeting at the House of Lords. For one team, there is confusion over the mystery object, while poor planning leaves the other team lagging behind. In the boardroom, Lord Sugar gives out warnings, as well as hefty fines, before sending one contestant home.
Alan Sugar sends the candidates off to Bruges to create a high-quality tour of the beautiful Belgian city that passengers would be happy to pay good money for. The teams also try to flog souvenirs to guests to top up their profit margins, but as they sell the tickets, there's jostling between candidates for sales and overpromising on what the tour groups will get, which could lead to major disappointment. The next day on the tours, facts are forgotten, candidates get their groups lost and, with time tight, one of them keeps cracking the whip on what's supposed to be a relaxed tourist experience.
Candidates have to create advertising campaigns for a new car in Essex, splitting into two teams - one half producing a television advert and the other creating a digital billboard advert. For one of the groups, a confusing car name and a strange choice of advertisement location causes them difficulty, while the others are led off course by a lack of direction. The finished campaigns are pitched to industry experts, before Lord Sugar eliminates one candidate from the competition.
Alan Sugar tasks the candidates with running their own doggy service business. Based at an established pooch-pampering venue, the teams must try to tempt discerning dog owners to part with their cash for services aimed at their four-legged friends. One team sets up a luxury doggy spa service, while the other struggles to make their dog obedience class profitable due to a haphazard pricing strategy and, back in the boardroom, another candidate's journey reaches an end.
Lord Sugar tasks the candidates with cooking up a concept for a new recipe kit. Half-baked branding and kitchen nightmares result in sour pitches. Then in the boardroom, one candidate is toast.
This week, Lord Sugar tasks the remaining contestants to become fashion agents, and sell a range of garments from up and coming designers. The teams have to select a designer, then plan and organise a catwalk show, as well as put together a magazine cover to amplify their sales campaign. Bad negotiations leave one team exposed, while the other team's magazine pitch does not go down well.
Profiles of the remaining candidates, delving into their backgrounds, as well as looking back over their journeys in the process so far.
This time, the final five candidates are summoned to Lord Sugar's newly refurbished offices in the City of London. There they are joined by some of Lord Sugar's closest associates, ready to put the candidates through their paces in a series of tough interviews, with each candidate going head to head with a business heavyweight in an attempt to prove their worth. There are tears, tantrums and turmoil, as confidence crumbles, egos are eradicated and business plans are pulverised, before heading back to the boardroom to face Lord Sugar once more.
Ahead of the final, Lord Sugar looks back on the tasks from this year's series and assesses the candidates' performances. The business tycoon also looks back on the boardroom bust-ups and goes through the best decisions made by the contestants, as well as the worst - including five-star hotel rooms painted in shades of trifle, modern cars in medieval villages and getting lost while showing paying customers around Bruges.
The two finalists take on their last challenge to win a coveted investment from Alan Sugar, with hand-picked teams of contestants from the series returning to aid them in their endeavours. They face a three-day challenge to create brands and adverts to pitch to a room full of experts - but a poor commercial and an uninspiring brand name do neither candidate any favours. Last in the series.
Matt Edmondson is back to give Lord Sugar's 16 potential business partners a grilling in his hilarious alternative interviews.
The search for Lord Sugar's next business partner begins. For their first task, the candidates fly to Malta to find nine Maltese items for the lowest possible prices.
Lord Sugar tasks the candidates with creating a comic aimed at children. They need to invent a name, a main character and a story, as well as design a dynamic front cover.
Lord Sugar tasks the candidates with manufacturing and selling upmarket doughnuts to both a corporate client and the public.
Ever wanted to know what it's really like inside The Apprentice house? Well, here's your chance as Matt Edmondson gives us a sneak peek while the Candidates are out doing business.
The candidates are summoned to London's Royal Albert Hall, where Lord Sugar sets them the challenge of selling at one of the world's largest bodybuilding expos.
The candidates must create and market a brand new shoe, along with putting together an event to launch and sell their product to major industry players.
The candidates are summoned to London City Airport, where Lord Sugar sets them the task of devising a marketing campaign for a brand new budget airline. They need to come up with a distinctive brand, make a 30-second TV advert and design a uniform that flies the flag for their new airline.
Lord Sugar sets the candidates a gardening task. The teams must set up their own urban gardening business, carrying out commercial and domestic jobs across London.
The candidates head north to Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow, where they are tasked with becoming art dealers, selling work at their own gallery event.
The candidates head to TV Centre in west London, where they are tasked with selling live to the nation on one of Britain's leading TV shopping channels.
Lord Sugar pays the six remaining candidates a flying visit, challenging them to cash in on the lucrative Christmas market.
An in-depth look at the final five candadiates, featuring interviews from family, friends and loved ones, as well as Lord Sugar's trusted aides Baroness Brady and Claude Littner.
The final five candidates face the scrutiny of Lord Sugar's most trusted advisors, who are primed to put each of their business plans under the microscope.
Lord Sugar looks back at the candidates who fell before the final hurdle and the tasks that took them to the brink, with the help of some previously unseen boardroom moments.
The finalists must now launch their businesses by producing a digital screen and directing a TV advert, before pitching to Lord Sugar and a room full of industry experts.
Alan Sugar challenges two teams of famous faces to organise and host a themed cabaret night in less than 48 hours, under the critical eye of Karren Brady and Claude Littner. They have to call on their contacts, plead with the public, provide the catering and even perform. But as the deadline approaches, who will have made the most money?
The celebrity candidates from the worlds of entertainment, sport, journalism and comedy continue their efforts to raise as much money as possible for Comic Relief, with Karren Brady and Claude Littner in attendance. Businessman Lord Sugar later casts scorn, surprise or praise on their efforts in his inimitable way before revealing the winning team.
An exclusive and exciting first look at this year’s 16 Apprentice candidates! Matt Edmondson returns to give Lord Sugar’s potential new business partners a good grilling in his hilarious alternative interviews.
Lord Sugar kicks off the new series with a task like no other. Sixteen candidates are sent to South Africa to set up wine and safari tours.
The teams are challenged to create, manufacture and sell their own ranges of ice lollies.
The teams are sent back to school as Lord Sugar reveals that for this week’s task they will be creating a toy for 6-8-year-olds.
Lord Sugar summons the candidates to the London Transport Museum, where they learn that this week’s task is to create and sell their own range of electric bikes.
Lord Sugar sends the candidates to the historic university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, where they will attempt to procure nine items that are associated with both places.
Lord Sugar challenges the candidates to create and market a new rollercoaster.
The candidates must create an advertising campaign to persuade UK tourists to visit Finland. Finland is known as a winter destination, but this campaign must entice us to visit during the summer.
The teams host a corporate away day onboard the iconic Belmond British Pullman train.
Lord Sugar challenges the candidates to act as talent managers. They must audition unsigned musicians, choose which one to represent, then head to a studio to create a remix of one of their tracks.
Lord Sugar asks the candidates to don their lab coats and goggles as he challenges them to create and sell their own perfume.
The five remaining candidates are put under the microscope, revealing the real people behind the business wear.
The final five candidates go head to head with Lord Sugar's advisors as they present their business plans and face the bigwigs' scrutiny.
With Lord Sugar on the cusp of choosing his new business partner, we look back on the candidates who fell before the final hurdle.
To convince Lord Sugar they’re worthy of his cash, the last two candidates must now launch their businesses, with a little help from some of those who were fired.
A light-hearted look back at 15 years of the business challenge over 6 episodes, beginning with some of the most unforgettable candidates. These are the wheeler-dealers, the walking egos, the sharp-suited entrepreneurs and the jokers who make the show what it is - from the sales patter of Paul back in series one and tenacious Ruth Badger 12 months later, right up to the barrow-boy banter of Thomas last year.
A look back at the famous faces that braved the boardroom of doom, all in the name of charity. Setting the stage will be Lord Sugar, Baroness Brady and Claude Littner. They wistfully look back at the jollies and japes our celebrities got themselves into over the years as they raised over £2 million for Comic Relief and Sport’s Relief.
A look back at those challenges when the candidates were told to gather their passports as Alan Sugar sent them to conduct business abroad, Apprentice-style. But these short breaks have been anything but a holiday for the entrepreneurs as they face all manner of obstacles, from language barriers to a lack of local knowledge. Over the years, the over-confident contestants have tried to sell cheese to the French, fumbled their facts in Bruges and confused a slimy sea creature for scuba equipment in Malta.
A look back at Lord Sugar’s favourite task and a lesson on how to get ahead in advertising, Apprentice style.
A look back at the most terrifying job interview process on telly and a helpful guide on how to survive it.
Matt Edmondson has once again found the audition tapes and made his own hilarious alternative interviews with this year's Apprentice candidates.
This year's 16 candidates set sail from Portsmouth, their first task being to come up with marketing campaigns for a new cruise liner.
The teams must design an electric toothbrush aimed at children aged between six and eight, as well as an accompanying app that encourages them to brush their teeth.
The candidates' next task is creating and branding a new non-alcoholic drink and hosting a launch event where they will be pitching and selling to leading retailers.
The candidates enter the choppy waters of the fish business, sourcing a catch of the day and creating a fish dish to sell to the public.
The teams' next task is to create their own computer game and pitch their concept to a panel of hugely successful games investors.
In a tourist hot-spot in north Wales, the candidates run their own highland railway, quarry tour and zip-line.
The candidates gear up to design, brand and pitch their own electric driverless vehicle.
The remaining candidates lay on a racing-themed corporate away day at Silverstone, including a tour, a racing experience and food and drink.
The teams are set one of their most intense challenges yet: to sell live to the nation on one of the country’s leading TV shopping channels.
Lord Sugar summons the remaining candidates to KidZania in west London, where he reveals that their next task is to create and brand a new baby food.
With just two more tasks remaining, the remaining aspiring entrepreneurs go under the microscope, revealing the real people behind the businesswear.
The remaining candidates face the scrutiny of Lord Sugar’s most trusted advisors, who are primed to pick apart their business plans. Only two can proceed to the final.
Lord Sugar looks back on the candidates who fell before the final hurdle and the tasks that took them to the brink.
The two finalists each have three days to launch a new company. They must create branding for their business, produce a digital billboard and a television advert, then pitch it to Lord Sugar.
Take an exclusive first look at this year's candidates. Matt Edmondson is back to give Lord Sugar’s potential business partners a grilling in his hilarious alternative interviews.
Lord Sugar’s candidates touch down on the Caribbean island of Antigua to sell and run bespoke tours. Then, back in Blighty, one candidate is sent packing.
The candidates manufacture bao buns to punt to the public and corporate clients, but kitchen explosions and a maths meltdown lead to a grilling in the boardroom.
Week three and teams create a new preschool cartoon to pitch to industry experts; but incomplete characters and sketchy storylines lead to one candidate being fired.
The candidates are sent to Brighton to secure nine items synonymous with the area. After a race to the finish, it’s rock bottom for another candidate in the boardroom.
The candidates brand and advertise a new electric motorbike, but confused concepts and violated visions result in one candidate being fired.
The candidates jet off to Dubai to run corporate away day experiences. Choppy waters and desert disasters result in another candidate being fired.
The teams design a new lunchbox and app to pitch to industry experts. Poor decisions, dreadful execution and dodgy disclaimers result in one candidate being fired.
Lord Sugar’s candidates get into character as they host immersive events. Bad deals and plummeting profits mean one candidate is sent packing.
The candidates create new men’s skincare products. Unoriginal concoctions and disastrous recipes lead to a lack of sales, and in the boardroom, there’s a shock double firing.
Lord Sugar’s candidates create a new dog food to pitch to major retailers, but barking mad recipes and bland brands fail to impress. In the boardroom, another candidate is fired.
Some familiar faces return to interrogate the business plans of the final five. Their deep dive reveals fictitious figures, crazy concepts and absurd ambitions.
The two finalists must launch a new business and pitch it to Lord Sugar for the chance to win his £250,000 investment and become his next business partner.
Week One. Lord Sugar’s candidates host a corporate away day in the Scottish Highlands. Back in the boardroom, one candidate is sent packing.
It's week two and the candidates manufacture miniature cheesecakes to sell to the public and corporate clients. But crumbling cakes and maths meltdowns lead to a firing in the boardroom.
It's week three, and the teams create a new virtual escape room to pitch to industry experts. Boring branding and confusing concepts lead to one candidate being fired.
It's week four, and the candidates are sent to Jersey to secure nine items synonymous with the area. After a race to the finish, it’s au revoir for another candidate in the boardroom.
Lord Sugar's candidates launch a new Formula E team before pitching for sponsorship, but questionable designs jeopardise multimillion-pound negotiations.
The candidates must design and create a brand new breakfast cereal to sell to industry buyers. Bland recipes and boring boxes result in another candidate being fired.
Lord Sugar’s candidates touch down in the Hungarian capital of Budapest to sell and run bespoke tours. Back in Blighty, one candidate is sent packing.
Lord Sugar’s candidates brand and create an advertising campaign for a new electric vehicle. Boring branding and confusing adverts mean one candidate hits the brakes.
The teams are tasked with choosing a selection of products to sell live to the nation on one of the UK's leading TV shopping channels.
Lord Sugar's candidates are tasked with creating a new vegan alternative to cheese to pitch to major retailers. But unusual recipes and bland brands result in another candidate being fired.
Some familiar faces are back to interrogate the business plans of the final five, and with £250,000 in touching distance, there’s tears, tension and tough love.
Two finalists will be tasked with launching a new business and pitching it to Lord Sugar for the chance to win his £250,000 investment and become his next business partner.
Sir Alan Sugar sets ten celebrities his toughest challenge yet in a special edition of the reality series. Stars including Jack Dee, Jonathan Ross, Ruby Wax and Carol Vorderman battle to create a special mystery product for Comic Relief. With just three days to invent, brand and market something original, tempers fray and egos are bruised as the task unravels and one team comes unstuck. Who wins, who loses, and which one of Britain's biggest celebrities gets fired?
See who Sir Alan fires.
Lord Sugar, Baroness Brady and Claude Littner look back on what it takes to make a task a soaring success - and how to avoid an epic failure.
