Since 2005, when Lord Sugar put the first batch of candidates through their paces – and first spoke the famed words ‘You’re fired’ in the boardroom – The Apprentice has been a fixture on our television screens.
While participants had to demonstrate their business ability in order to gain a job with the mogul, it’s now all about winning his backing for their firms, with a £250,000 investment.
Over the years, we’ve seen several noteworthy individuals walk through the boardroom, with several of them going on to greater success with Lord Sugar’s guidance.
And the latest season of the show, with 18 fresh new contestants vying for the mogul’s support, premieres tonight (January 5).
They’ve all been accepted into the programme after going through the application procedure, but how can you apply to be a future candidate?
We have all of the information you require.
How can you apply to be on The Apprentice?
If you want to try your luck on the BBC show, the good news is that applications for series 18 are now open.
You can find the form on the show’s official website – but you’ll have to get in quick, as the closing date for applications is Sunday, January 29, 2022.
For series 18, applicants need to be aged 18 or over and legally entitled to work in the UK without restriction.
Because certain tasks may be filmed in another country, you may be needed to be completely vaccinated unless you have a medical exemption to be considered for the show.
Applicants must also provide a photo and video of themselves, as well as establish their legal eligibility to live and work in the United Kingdom.
The selection procedure for Series 18 is more than just an online form.
If you got through the application round, you’d go to introductory meetings, then another round of interviews before reaching the final round.
Anyone who is successful in submitting for a future programme must ensure that they are available for filming for a specific amount of time, which may be as long as 13 weeks depending on how far they get in the process.
This may entail taking time away from work, so make sure you’re capable of doing so.
Future programmes’ filming dates will vary, but Series 17 – the most recent – was shot between March 28 and June 26.
The Apprentice 2023 starts tonight on BBC One at 9pm.