For what age: 3+
How many episodes in 11 season: 14 episodes
The search for Lord Sugar's next business partner has begun, and the process is tougher than ever. Having already invested £1,000,000 of his own money into four thriving businesses, Lord Sugar isn't stopping there. Over the next 12 weeks he'll whittle down the hopeful candidates until only one remains.
The candidates are summoned to the Barbican Conservatory, where Lord Sugar tells them that for their next task they must create a new shampoo brand and design an advertising campaign to promote it. The product's unique selling point - its key ingredient is cactus-seed oil. Teams need to design packaging, film a TV advert and create an eye-catching digital billboard, all before pitching the whole campaign to a panel of leading industry experts.
The candidates must find nine items and negotiate the best possible price.
Lord Sugar instructs the candidates to tap into one of the UK's biggest markets - pet products. The task is simple - choose some products that pet lovers will like and sell them at the London Pet Show.
At the London Library in St James's Square, Lord Sugar sets the candidates a surprising task - write and design a children's book, and record an accompanying CD, before selling it to London's bookshops.
It's halfway, and it's hard graft. Donning hi-vis jackets and steel-toe-capped boots, the candidates travel to meet Lord Sugar in a south London builder's yard. Their task is to set up and run a handyman business.
At the house, the off-duty candidates are interrupted by Lord Sugar, who sets them his latest challenge - open a discount store and, in two days, turn products into profit.
It's week eight and the candidates are taken back in time to the Museum of Childhood. Lord Sugar instructs the teams to become party planners, with just two days to set up and host a children's party for some high-spending clients.
Last year's winner of The Apprentice, Mark Wright (remember him?), recently quoted Lord Sugar as saying, 'You make money from property and do business for fun'. Which perhaps reflects the fact that property mega-deals are what have lifted Sugar from middling tech entrepreneur to billionaire.
Lord Sugar summons the remaining candidates to the London Aquatic Centre, where he gives them the task of creating and producing a new health food, before pitching their idea to three major retailers. The teams have two days to invent an original snack, build a brand, and then achieve orders from leading figures in the industry. One team tries to impress with rejuvenating superfood snack bars, while the other opts for vegetable crisps. But there is nowhere for the candidates to hide as chaos ensues, with confusion over recipes, last-minute mistakes, and painful pitches to industry experts, before Lord Sugar announces a shock result.
Ten weeks ago, eighteen potential business partners arrived at the boardroom in the hope of becoming Lord Sugar's next business partner. As series 11 draws to a close and the tension mounts, The Apprentice: The Final Five profiles the remaining candidates.
The battle to become Lord Sugar's business partner is nearing the end, as the remaining few candidates have 24 hours to brush up on their business plans and face the formidable interview process. It's time to get a grilling from four of Lord Sugar's trusted advisors, Claude Littner, Claudine Collins, Mike Soutar and new addition Linda Plant.
With the final just days away, and Lord Sugar on the cusp of choosing his new business partner, The Apprentice: Why I Fired Them offers a chance to look back on the candidates who fell before the final hurdle, and the tasks that tested them to the limit. From the impressive 'Desert Defeating Hair' campaign, to the bumper sale of million pound properties, this year's candidates have moved from great highs to jaw dropping lows. Facing the first ever zero orders for health snacks, and not forgetting the DIY disaster of painting over their client's shop sign, this year's challenges have had humour, heartache but also some outstanding performances. Helped by previously unseen insights from the eagle eyed Karren Brady and Claude Littner, Lord Sugar leads us through the best and worst decisions made by this year's bunch of candidates. He looks back on the boardroom bust ups, and explains how he came to his decisions on who would hear the words 'You're Fired!'.
The two remaining candidates are summoned to London's City Hall, where Lord Sugar sets them their final task. They must launch their business, including creating a brand and unveiling their campaign to an audience of 200 leading industry experts. One finalist has a bad start when they ignore advice from a market leader, while the other must prove their numbers stack up when they encounter potential funding issues. In the boardroom, business plans are evaluated and advertising campaigns assessed, before Lord Sugar selects his next business partner.
