The Apprentice 2026 returns at the end of the month, with show insiders predicting it’ll be broadcast on the final Thursday in January, as per previous years, although the exact launch date has yet to be confirmed.
The 20th season of The Apprentice sees Lord Sugar return with co-hosts Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell MBE. The trio will set a new series of 20 contestants weekly tasks to showcase their business skills and mindset, and at the end of each week, one contestant will get fired.
The Apprentice has remained a ratings hit despite many of its other terrestrial TV formats struggling to compete with the newer streaming services like Netflix and Disney+. The 19th season saw an average audience of 6.7million per episode.
Inside The Apprentice 2026: what to expect as show returns
The first trailer for the new series features contestants gathered around Lord Sugar’s boardroom, temporarily relocated to Hong Kong, and completing tasks in the shadow of some iconic Asian cultural landmarks like a Big Buddha. Contestants are also seen riding dune buggies and going into combat with robots in virtual reality.
As well as new exotic locations, there is also a surprise appearance from musician and TV personality Big Zuu teased in the trailer.
The new series follows a Christmas special of The Apprentice in which celebrities competed to become business people in order to raise money for charity. Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman and Robbie Williams got involved when contestants including Rob Rinder, AJ Odudu, Jake Wood called on their phone books of A-List contacts to help them get ahead.
Applications are now open if you’d like to apply for the 21st season of The Apprentice. The last date for applications is 23 January via this website.
Lord Sugar invests half a million pounds in the winner of the series’ business idea, going into a business partnership with them. Last year former Apprentice runner-up Scarlett Allen-Horton’s Lord Sugar-backed recruitment firm Harper Fox Partners entered the red during its latest financial year. Allen-Horton was a finalist in the 15th season of the show.