One again The Apprentice returns this years series kicks off Wednesday 14th October 2015 on BBC One and it’s already being branded the ‘toughest series yet.

18 candidates will have to prove to Claude Littner (one of Lord Sugar’s advisors) if they are worthy of the £250,000 investment in their business from the East End billionaire.

Claude will joined by Baroness Karren Brady for this autumn’s fifteen series, although she says the candidates are more than welcome to call her just Karren.

The Apprentice returns with a bang this year as we will be treated to a double helping of boardroom drama in the first week, with the second episode airing the following evening on Thursday 15th October. The series then continues weekly every Wednesday at 9pm.

The series kicks off with the task designed to test several of the most important skills in business: product creation, negotiation and selling.

For the first time in Apprentice history, instead of girls against boys in the first task Lord Sugar mixes the teams before sending them off to Billingsgate Market.

In the early hours of the morning the candidates have to haggle with some of the toughest negotiators in the business for first class fish and seafood, they then mass manufacture their stock into lunch items before selling the finished results to hungry Londoners. The aim is simple – make as much profit as possible to avoid being in the firing line on the losing team in the boardroom.

Other tasks over the coming weeks include creating an advertising campaign for a new shampoo, selling pet products at The National Pet Show, starting a DIY company, becoming party planners, selling real estate, producing a new health snack and a memorable trip to France.

As ever, each task is of course followed by a showdown in the boardroom where the losing team’s Project Manager must decide which two team mates are responsible for the failure of the task. Under the spotlight of Lord Sugar’s interrogation candidates battle it out to keep their place in the process and avoid hearing the dreaded words “You’re fired!”

This year there are 18 potential business partners for Lord Sugar to choose from. The nine men and nine women come from a range of careers and backgrounds – from hairdressing and building to corporate management, events and charities, there are also two from the Navy while one budding business brain started a new life here having fled war as a refugee as a child.

They all share the same goal – getting Lord Sugar invested in their companies and ideas – but only after they succeed in the weekly challenges to prove their business potential will they get the chance to pitch for the boss.

The final will see the remaining candidates’ bring their business plans to life in their bid for the £250,000 prize before one is crowned the winner.

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