For what age: 3+
How many episodes in 9 season: 14 episodes
Sixteen ambitious entrepreneurs start their fight for a life-changing investment of £250,000 as the battle to become Lord Sugar's next business partner begins. Summoned to the boardroom at midnight, Lord Sugar warns the candidates that clichés won't cut it, and spells out what he is looking for. Then it is onto the task, which is as supersized as their egos. Each team is given a shipping container stuffed with imported products, and the candidates must work through the night to sell the lot. It is boys versus girls, but Lord Sugar has a surprise in store for the sixteen hopefuls as they are put on the spot like never before. Sent straight to the port in the dead of night, the candidates get to see their stock. From Lucky Cats to two tonnes of water, it is a mixed bag, and they only have until 4pm to shift it all. The teams search London for businesses that will buy; dawn deals are done at a casino and a coach company, but with the clock ticking it is not long before the blunders begin. The boardroom is a feisty affair, and someone's dreams are dashed when they are the first to hear the words 'You're fired!'.
The candidates face an early morning trip to the pub, as this task sees them coming up with a new flavoured beer; two candidates who want Lord Sugar to invest in the drinks business go head-to-head to prove themselves. Half the teams head off to a brewery to dream up their drinks, while the rest brainstorm brands for their beers. One team opts for a rhubarb beer, while the others choose chocolate and orange - but there is trouble brewing when the manufacturing process goes into meltdown and potential profit is poured down the drain. On sales day one team heads straight for an ale festival, while the others have a worrying start as they set up shop in a deserted beer garden. Sense is in short supply for one team, who try and pitch their beer to a pub without a sample, and pricing up pints proves problematic. In the boardroom alliances are exposed, and it is an emotional rollercoaster for one candidate; but ultimately it is closing time for someone when Lord Sugar tells them 'You're fired!'.
The teams have to come up with a unique piece of flat-pack furniture, before producing prototypes and pitching their products to retailers. One of the candidates from the loosing team is fired by Lord Sugar at the end of the show.
The fight for Lord Sugar's £250,000 investment continues with farmyard fun, as this task sees the candidates open their own farm shops. The hopefuls swap their high heels and city brogues for wellies as they set off to source stock from farms across the South East. One team decides to specialize in pricey buffalo produce, while the others try to churn a profit from premium milk. The teams divide to search the Home Counties for farm fresh produce, but some are left high and dry when they are sent shopping on a shoestring; and there is trouble for others as they find out - with minutes to spare - that stock levels are dangerously low. On sales day, the candidates set up shop in trendy east London; one team finds their takeaway's soups and spuds tricky to shift, while the other team finds there is an appetite for milkshakes. One candidate takes a gamble by using the task to prove their business idea for Lord Sugar works. In the boardroom, even the winning team gets a telling off. The losing team leaves Lord Sugar with a dilemma, but eventually one candidate faces the firing finger and hears the words 'You're fired!'.
The candidates face an early start, as a pre-dawn call informs them that they are off on a business trip to Dubai. Bags are quickly packed, and then the teams are straight off to Gatwick and the UAE. In the almost-finished foyer of a new multi-million pound hotel, the candidates discover their task: find and secure items needed for the hotel at the lowest possible prices. One team tries to use local knowledge to their advantage by scouring the souks for bargains, while others want to track down items fast and they head for a mega mall. But in the heat of Dubai, it's not long before the candidates start to sweat; mistakes with measurements leave one team with a big problem, while waiting time costs others dearly. Negotiation shugs are pushed to the limit, and identifying the items proves tricky as some of the candidates get lost in translation. As darkness falls there is a final dash round Dubai, before racing back to the hotel where the hotel manager casts a discerning eye over their purchases. In the boardroom there are surprises in store and a true boardroom battle commences, but the holiday is over for the fifth candidate as Lord Sugar sends them packing with the words 'You're fired!'.
Called to Guildhall in the City of London, the candidates are given their latest task: putting on a corporate away day for two major clients. With a budget of 5,000 pounds, they must put on a team building event for a day, but the fun and games start early when one team spends so much time thinking through themes that they are late to meet their client. The teams set off in search of food and activities, but by mid-afternoon panic sets in for some as they realise they don't have enough to fill the day, and they wrestle with whether to make a last minute booking that could prove risky. The next day, the teams must put on their events; one decides on an army theme, but they come under fire when the rain sets in. The others settle on back to school, but will their pricey activities get top marks? To win, teams must balance profit with customer satisfaction - but in the boardroom there are surprises in store and one unhappy customer, as Lord Sugar points the finger at someone and tells them 'You're fired!'.
The teams have to sell products at the Motorhome and Caravan Show this week. One of the candidates from the losing team is fired by Lord Sugar at the end of the show.
There is love is in the air this week as the candidates are called to London's busiest registry office in Marylebone Town Hall.They learn that this week's task is to come up with a new online dating concept backed up by an original advertising campaign. One of the candidates from the losing team is fired by Lord Sugar at the end of the show.
The candidates are called to the restaurant at the top of the Gherkin in London, where they learn that their latest task is to create and brand their own ready meal. At the end of the show one of the candidates from the loosing team is fired by Lord Sugar.
The candidates receive an early morning call, telling them to gather in the sitting room of their London townhouse. Still in their pyjamas, the teams are briefed on this week's task: to grow a business from scratch in 48 hours. Starting with £150, they must source stock for a market stall, then buy more of their best sellers, before opening shops the next day. Before sending them off, Lord Sugar mixes the teams up and decides that, for this task, the boys should compete against the girls. After deciding what to sell, they head straight out to source stock. One team settles on fashion, while the rest plump for homeware - but while some get off to a flying start, others lag behind. Stock sorted, the teams get selling from their stalls. Will their chosen stock fly off the shelves? The next day the teams sell from shops built from converted shipping containers in London's trendy Shoreditch. One takes a cheap and cheerful approach to stocking out their shop, while the others go for high-margin minimalism. As the minutes tick by, one team rolls the dice on an all-or-nothing product.
As this series of The Apprentice draws to a close and the tension mounts, this programme profiles the remaining five candidates. Revealing the true stories behind the super confident egos, we discover what really makes these budding business men and women tick. Parents, friends and employees, along with Lord Sugar's trusted aides Nick Hewer and Karren Brady, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the final five personalities, and look back over their journey in the process. Plus we hear from their fans back home, and find out just who are the Final Five.
The candidates receive an early morning phone call from Lord Sugar, who tells them they have 24 hours to brush up on their business plans, before being interviewed by four of his trusted advisors. The next day, business plans in hand, it's off to the Institute of Directors. Lord Sugar explains that his advisors will be scrutinizing their plans and credentials, before feeding back to him. The nerves kick in straight away for the Final Five, as the anxious candidates are called in one by one to meet Lord Sugar's hand-picked hit-squad. Armed with CVs and business plans, the advisors waste no time in taking the candidates to task. Egos are attacked, book-cooking uncovered, and personalities pulverised. There are anxious moments for some, and extraordinary things uncovered as the candidates are pushed to the limit. In an emotional boardroom, Lord Sugar receives some surprising news, and someone feels the full force of his fury, before a shock exit leaves everyone open-mouthed. In the fight to make the final, dreams come crashing down. Only two can make the grade, as the rest all kiss the investment goodbye as they hear the words 'You're fired!'.
With Lord Sugar on the cusp of choosing his new business partner, this programme provides a chance to look back on the candidates who fell before the final hurdle, and the tasks that tested them to the limit. From making beer and selling caravans to thinking up an online dating concept, this year's budding business partners have been pushed to breaking point. Lord Sugar takes us through the best, and worst, decisions made by this year's candidates, and explains how each week he decided who would hear the fateful phrase 'You're fired!'.
The finalists have one last chance to ttry and impress before this year's winner is announced by Lord Sugar.
