The Apprentice

Margaret Mountford, Sir Alan Sugar and Nick Hewer in the fifth series of The Apprentice.

The Apprentice began on BBC Two on 16 February 2005. The reality documentary was modelled after the US version, which starred property tycoon Donald Trump. However the BBC’s take on the show was unmistakably British, fronted as it was by Sir Alan Sugar, founder of Amstrad. Over 12 weeks viewers watched 14 budding entrepreneurs battle through a series of business-related challenges with the aim of being hired to work for Sugar. Every week one contestant was dumped off the show- after a roasting from Sugar - with the words “You’re fired”.

The programme proved to be a hit, moving to BBC One and giving birth to a spin-off The Apprentice: You’re Fired! The winner of the first series was Tim Campbell, with Saira Khan the runner up. The number of contestants increased over the years to 18, but for the latest series was 16. Although it is sometimes hard to remember so many competitors, there are always some who stand out, not always for the right reasons!

Lord Sugar – as he became in 2009 – continues to be the unchanging heart of The Apprentice, ruthlessly appraising the candidate’s performance. There have been celebrity specials and a Junior version and the format has also inspired other programmes such as Beat the Boss.