First look at The Apprentice as bosses confirm 2025 return
Lord Sugar is back!
Last updated 21st Nov 2024
With 2025 fast approaching, excitement is building ahead of the 19th series of popular entertainment show The Apprentice. After filming took place earlier this year, bosses have now confirmed the 2025 series, sharing a first look photo of Lord Alan Sugar, Baroness Karen Brady and Tim Campbell MBE.
As we await more information about series 19, here's everything we know so far!
When is The Apprentice back on TV?
There's no official start date for The Apprentice just yet, but it has now been confirmed that the show will return for series 19 in 2025.
Sharing a brand new photo on Wednesday 21st November, Karen Brady told fans on Instagram: 'Back for Business! I am so excited to share that @apprenticeuk is making an epic return to your screens in 2025! Who will be joining us in the boardroom?' (sic)
The 2024 series of The Apprentice started on Thursday 23rd March.
Who are the contestants?
The contestants for series 19 haven't been unveiled just yet. We can expect this announcement a few weeks before the show lands on TV in 2025.
What we do know is there will be 18 candidates trying to impress Lord Sugar, and for the 2025 series, there will be mixed teams from the offset!
Where is it filmed?
Whilst most of the filming is carried out in and around London, bosses have announced the 2025 series kicks off in the Austrian Alps, as the candidates hit the slopes in an attempt to sell tour packages.
The candidates will also travel to Turkey for one task.
What are the tasks?
Series 19 will see the candidates taking part in a number of carefully crafted challenges.
They will be creating a virtual popstar, turning a ton of potatoes and tomatoes into cash, designing and marketing Easter Eggs, jetting off to Turkey for a corporate hospitality challenge and taking on the classic discount buying task in historic Stratford-upon-Avon. And not forgetting Interviews Week, when the final five will face the grilling of a lifetime from some of Lord Sugar’s trusted business associates.
What channel is it on?
Just like previous years, The Apprentice will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2025.
Old episodes of The Apprentice are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now.
Who are Lord Sugar's aides?
Former winner Tim Campbell MBE will once again join Both Baroness Brady to help Lord Sugar throughout the process. As ever, Tim and Karen will observe the candidates every move and report back to Lord Sugar.
Baroness Brady first joined the show back in 2010, with Tim joining as an aide a few years ago when Claude Littner was forced to miss the series due to suffering a horrific injury.
Can I apply?
Applications for series 19 actually closed earlier this year, but bosses are now urging people to apply for the 20th series, which is due to air in 2026.
The application process states: 'LORD SUGAR HAS ALREADY INVESTED CLOSE TO £3,000,000 IN BUSINESSES THROUGH THE APPRENTICE. COULD YOU BE HIS NEXT BIG INVESTMENT?
'If you think you've got the talent and confidence to impress Britain's toughest backer, the process starts here.'
Applications for series 20 close at 23.59 on Sunday 1st December 2024.
You can apply for The Apprentice right here.
Who won The Apprentice in 2024?
Series 18 saw Rachel Woolford and Phil Turner battle it out in the final, with Lord Sugar choosing to invest a cool £250,000 into Rachel's North Studio fitness business.
Check out the most successful winners below:
Series 1: Tim Campbell MBE (2005)
Tim Campbell was The Apprentice's first winner in 2005. He went on to work with Lord Sugar at his company Amstrad for two years earning £100,000 before co-founding a charity.
Tim's charity, Bright Ideas Trust, was founded in 2007 and supports those from disadvantaged backgrounds to get involved in enterprise.
Then, in the 2012 New Years Honours List it was announced that Tim would be awarded the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for Services to Enterprise Culture.
Tim replaced Claude Littner as one of Lord Sugar's aides on the most recent series of The Apprentice (2022).
Series 2: Michelle Dewberry (2006)
After winning the second series of The Apprentice and being offered a £100,000 job at Lord Sugar's Xenon Green company, Michelle decided to quit and started her own business consultancy company in 2006. After that she published a book in 2007 and worked as a columnist for Business Matters in 2009.
In 2021, Michelle became a TV presenter on her own show political show Dewbs & Co.
Series 3: Simon Ambrose (2007)
Simon Ambrose became the first winner of the series to also be a TV actor. He worked for Lord Sugar's Amsprop until deciding to set up his own property development company in 2010.
In 2018 it was reported that he was going to set up some bars and restaurants in London. He's now believed to be chairing the London Contemporary Orchestra.
Series 4: Lee McQueen (2008)
Despite lying on his CV about the time he spent at university, Lee managed to impress Lord Sugar and won the fourth series. He also called in sick on his first day at Lord Sugar's Amscreen, but went on to be one of the longest-serving apprentices, staying with the company until 2010.
After leaving Lord Sugar's company he started his own sales training company in 2010 called Raw Talent Academy.
Series 5: Yasmina Siadatan (2009)
Yasmina won the fifth series of the show and went on to work for Amscreen Health Care, the same company that previous winner Lee McQueen also worked for.
Yasmina was later headhunted by James Caan, judge on Dragon's Den, to work for his company, a private equity firm.
Series 6: Stella English (2010)
After winning the series, Stella went to work for Lord Sugar's company Viglen, but ended up suing him for 'constructive dismissal' and left after 13 months.
After a period of unemployment, Stella then appeared as a TV host on Crowd Box - TV channel which aims to help entrepreneurs raise money through crowd-funding.
Following the clash, winners of The Apprentice now get an investment from the entrepreneur, rather than a job at one of his companies.
Series 7: Tom Pellereau (2011)
Tom Pellereau was the winner for the 'newly formatted' Apprentice and won £250,000 investment for this invention which was a curved nail file called Stylfile.
Tom now has a company called Stylideas which he says is the product of invention and good fortune.
Series 8: Ricky Martin (2012)
Ricky Martin (not to be confused with the singer) is now a multimillionaire! The 2012 winner set up his own recruitment company, Hyper Recruitment Solutions. According to its website it is 'focused on mid-level to senior appointments for the science and technology industry worldwide.'
Series 9: Leah Totton (2013)
Leah started an ethical cosmetics chain of clinics called Dr Leah Clinic, which is co-owned by Lord Sugar. She also still continues to work for the NHS as a part-time A&E doctor.
Series 10: Mark Wright (2014)
Winner of the show's 10th series, Mark Wright was named as UK Entrepreneur of the year in 2018 and listed in the Forbes 30 under 30, which is an annual list of the brightest young entrepreneurs, leaders, and stars.
After winning the series he started a digital marketing agency called Climb Online.
Series 11: Joseph Valente (2015)
Joseph founded his company ImpraGas when he was just 22-years-old, after winning The Apprentice his company became the UK's biggest boiler installation business. Now, he is the CEO of the company, Trade Mastermind which he founded in 2018.
Series 12: Alana Spencer (2016)
Alana launched a launch a luxury cake business, Ridiculously Rich by Alana. She then launched cakepreneurs with Lord Sugar which is a company which bakers pay a membership for, so they can sell their goods to wholesalers.
Series 13: Sarah Lynn and James White (2017)
In 2017, Lord Sugar couldn't decide on one winner, so he chose two! Sarah Lynn chose to invest in her personalised sweet business, Sweets in the City, which now sells products in high-end shops such as Harrods, Selfridges, and Harvey Nichols.
Meanwhile, James White's win meant he could invest in his IT and infrastructure recruitment business.
Series 14: Sian Gabbidon (2018)
On winning the series, Lord Sugar became co-owner of Sian's existing swimwear company. During the pandemic, Sian then expanded into loungewear and had even more success here in the UK and abroad.
Series 15: Carina Lepore (2019)
Carina is was the most recent winner of the series before it had an unexpected hiatus due to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Carina used her £250,000 investment to open her artisan bakery Dough Bake House. The company now has a branch in Herne Hill and Beckenham High Street.
Series 16: Harpreet Kaur (2022)
Harpreet Kaur became the 16th winner of the series, with her dessert parlour business. The 30-year-old from West Yorkshire currently has two dessert parlours, but is looking to expand her locations and range of products on offer.
Series 17: Marnie Swindells (2023)
Lord Sugar chose to invest in Marnie Swindells and her boxing business during the series 17 final in 2023. She said at the time: "What an incredible opportunity and moment for a girl like me to get to a place like this and have become Lord Sugar's business partner. It feels strange to even say that, but I'm not going to stop saying it because I am so happy."
Series 18: Rachel Woolford (2024)
Rachel Woolford was crowned the winner of The Apprentice series 18 in 2024, when Lord Sugar chose to invest £250,000 into her Boutique Fitness Studio.
The Apprentice will return in 2025.
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