The Apprentice is back on TV tonight following a two-year break

Lord Sugar will see you now

Author: Hannah Mellin and Alex RossPublished 6th Jan 2022
Last updated 6th Jan 2022

We've had to wait two years due to the Coronavirus pandemic, but popular BBC show The Apprentice is back on TV tonight (Thursday 6th January), with Lord Alan Sugar back in the boardroom.

The Apprentice, which has been on our screens since 2005 and focuses on a group of budding entrepreneurs battling it out to be Lord Sugar’s business partner, is officially back for series 16!

Earlier this week, 16 brand new candidates were revealed, as they compete for the next 12 weeks to win a huge £250,000 from Lord Sugar.

Check out the 2022 candidates on The Apprentice:

Aaron Willis

Age: 38
From: Chorley, Lancashire
Occupation: Flight Operations Instructor

Francesca Kennedy Wallbank

Age: 26
From: Surrey
Occupation: Owner - Sustainability Company

Akeem Bundu-Kamara

Age: 29
From: London
Occupation: Strategy Manager

Amy Anzel

Age: 48
From: London
Occupation: Owner - Beauty Brand

Ashkay Thakrar

Age: 28
From: London
Occupation: Owner, Influencer, Digital Marketing Agency

Brittany Carter

Age: 25
From: Bristol
Occupation: Hotel Front of House Manager

Alex Short

Age: 27
From: Hertford
Occupation: Owner - Commercial Cleaning Company

Harpreet Kaur

Age: 30
From: West Yorkshire
Occupation: Owner - Dessert Parlour

Conor Gilsenan

Age: 28
From: London
Occupation: Sales Executive and Former Professional Rugby Player

Kathryn Louise Burn

Age: 29
From: Swindon
Occupation: Owner - Online Pyjama Store

Harry Mahmood

Age: 35
From: West Midlands
Occupation: Regional Operations Manager

Sophie Wilding

Age: 32
From: Cheltenham
Occupation: Owner - Boutique and Cocktail Bar

Navid Sole

Age: 27
From: London
Occupation: Pharmacist

Shama Amin

Age: 41
From: Bradford
Occupation: Owner - Children's Day Nursery

Nick Showering

Age: 31
From: London
Occupation: Finance Manager

Stephanie Affleck

Age: 28
From: Kent
Occupation: Owner - Children's Online Store

As always, Baroness Karren Brady will be Lord Sugar's aide, as well as former winner Tim Campbell, who is sitting in for usual star Claude Littner as he continues to recover from a horror electric bike injury.

The last series of the show aired in 2019 and was won by Carina Lepore who earnt a cool £250,000 investment in her baking business.

However, the two series that were planned in 2020 and 2021 had to be postponed in the interests of ‘production safety and the wellbeing of everyone involved’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Alan Sugar had previously revealed that the next series will air in ‘early 2022’.

He said: "I think you’ll see it in the early part of next year, in fact that’s the plan.

"If things go well, and there’s no outbreaks or third waves, we’re planning to start recording later this year and it should be just after Christmas that they’ll start it again."

The Apprentice starts this Thursday, 6th January at 9pm on BBC One, followed by You’re Fired on BBC Two. Watch live and on-demand on BBC iPlayer.

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