The Apprentice Start Date Confirmed After Three Year Break

Back at the helm of The Apprentice is Lord Sugar, who is once again looking to invest £250,000 of his own money into the next big business idea.

He will be joined, once again, by Baroness Karren Brady, who will be watching our hapless candidates as they struggle through a series of business-based tasks to try and impress Sugar.

However, the formidable Claude Littner will not be returning to series 16, after he suffered a serious accident over lockdown.

The star was forced to learn to walk again after sustaining a severe injury on his right leg while riding an electric bike.

Littner will be replaced by Tim Campbell MBE – and true fans of The Apprentice may recognise him.

Campbell won the very first series of the show back in 2005, which landed him a role as Project Director of Amstrad's new Health & Beauty division.

He now works in investments and acquisitions, as well as a co-founder of his own digital marketing company.

The first episode of the series will see 16 hopefuls split into two teams, as they're tasked with designing an advertising campaign for a destination cruise.

And as a teaser for the first episode, Lord Sugar can’t help but poke fun at the global pandemic and its vicious effect on business.

“I must say, we are glad to be back in the boardroom again. But don’t for one minute think I’ve gone soft,” he warns his candidates.

“Due to the pandemic, the world of business is tougher than ever before and the same goes for this process. In this boardroom you don’t get furloughed, you get fired.”

The Apprentice returns 6^th January 2022 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.