The BBC One series with Lord Alan Sugar finally returns to our screens
Published: Thursday, 6th January 2022 at 5:30 pm
Get ready to see The Apprentice 2022 cast in action, as series 16 is here and the tasks have begun.
After two years off-air, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the show is back with 16 buzzing businesspeople competing for a £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar.
Each week, they’ll face several challenges and at least one person will be fired before we get down to the final week where Lord Sugar will decide who will be his next business partner.
Helping him to make that decision is Baroness Karren Brady, who returns to the series after joining in 2009. There’s also a new face in the boardroom in the form of the show’s first-ever winner, Tim Campbell. Campbell won the first series in 2005 and was offered a job with Lord Sugar.
This year, he’ll fill in for Claude Littner as the businessman recovers from an accident.
Speaking to press including RadioTimes.com, Tim Campbell revealed he’s “nervous” to take over from Claude Littner.
He said: “I have a way of channelling the nerves, which is all about – listen, we could be anywhere and the fact is, if my heart’s beating really fast, that means I’m alive. So going into that scenario, where [Lord Sugar] calls you in and he says [you’re the] new person taking over from Claude, you are nervous because you don’t want to let him down.”
As the new series begins on BBC One, here’s everything you need to know about The Apprentice, including what time it’s on tonight and who all the contestants are in the line-up.
The Apprentice start date and time
The Apprentice starts on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday 6th January 2022 at 9pm.
Episodes will then air weekly on Thursday nights, and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer for long after.
The new series comes after the show was put on hold for two years, due to the coronavirus pandemic, but it sounds like that will be the last of the breaks for now, as Lord Sugar revealed has no plans to quit The Apprentice.
Speaking to press, including RadioTimes.com, the entrepreneur shared his hopes to get the show to series 20, and then some.
He said: “First of all, I publicly stated that I really wanted to make it to 20 years. So this one is 16 and I’ve got four more to do to achieve that goal.”
He added: “I’m not going nowhere, and the programme’s going nowhere. Please enjoy this current series, which I’m sure you will, but I can assure you there’s going to be a lot more. While I’ve got health and strength in my body, I will carry on!”
Alan Sugar previously hinted there’d be two series of The Apprentice in 2021, which naturally hasn’t happened. Speaking to the MailOnline, one of the options Sugar said the broadcaster was considering was having “two series air in one year”, so it could happen in 2022.
Who are The Apprentice 2022 contestants?
The Apprentice candidates have now been revealed, and 16 candidates will be showing off their business skills this winter.
You can see a full list below:
- Aaron Willis, 38 from Lancashire
- Akeem Bundu-Kamara, 29 from London
- Akshay Thakrar, 28, from London
- Alex Short, 27, from Hertford
- Amy Anzel, 48, from London
- Brittany Carter, 25, from Bristol
- Conor Gilsenan, 28, from London
- Francesca Kennedy Wallbank, 26, from Surrey
- Harry Mahmood, 35, from West Midlands
- Harpreet Kaur, 30, from West Yorkshire
- Kathryn Louise Burn, 29, from Swindon
- Navid Sole, 27, from London
- Nick Showering, 31, from London
- Sophie Wilding, 32, from Cheltenham
- Shama Amin, 41, from Bradford
- Stephanie Affleck, 28, from Kent
Who won The Apprentice in 2019?
Artisan baker Carina Lepore was crowned the winner of The Apprentice 2019.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com afterwards, Carina said: “I’m so excited, I can’t wait to start building the empire. There’s going to be new shops in 2020. Hopefully get Dough’s Bakehouse in other locations.”
Who are the advisors to Lord Sugar?
Claude Littner will be taking a one-series break from the new series as he recovers from an operation. Tim Campbell (MBE) will be covering for Littner as one of Lord Sugar’s boardroom aides alongside Karren Brady. Campbell won the first series of The Apprentice in 2005, founded charity the Bright Ideas Trust which helps young people to set up their own businesses, received an MBE in 2012, and now runs his own digital marketing agency.
Littner has appeared on every series of The Apprentice and first featured solely in the interview stages before becoming an aide to Sugar in 2015. He replaced Nick Hewer.
Littner said in a statement: “I’m hugely grateful to all the surgeons and nursing staff at St Mary’s Hospital for their incredible care and getting me on the road to recovery. Whilst I’m disappointed that I won’t be out and about covering the tasks or in the boardroom for this upcoming series, I’ll most definitely be glued to the action from my sofa.”
Claude Littner The Apprentice
Lord Sugar added: “Claude has been part of the series since the beginning and is leaving an important boardroom chair to temporarily fill. I’ve been speaking to him regularly about his recovery, and of course hope we see him back in the boardroom very soon. In the meantime, my former winner Tim Campbell will step into Claude’s seat and be my eyes and ears as the candidates face a tough set of business challenges in the upcoming series.”
Meanwhile, Brady joined the show in 2009, after appearing as a celebrity contestant on Comic Relief Does The Apprentice, which she won in 2007. She is vice-chairman of West Ham United and former managing director of Birmingham City. In 2014 she was made a life peer by the Prime Minister and received a CBE from the Queen for her services to business, entrepreneurship and women in business.
Can I apply to be on The Apprentice?
Unfortunately, applications are now closed for the show, however, this may well change if they decide to do two series in 2022.
You can keep an eye on the application page.
What is the prize for winning The Apprentice?
As in previous years, the show’s winning contestant will bag a £250,000 business investment from Lord Sugar.
Not only will the winner receive a huge cash injection for their business, Lord Sugar will also be on hand to guide them along the way and make their business into a real-life success!
The Apprentice series 16 will begin on 6th January 2022. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide.
