The Apprentice: Romances, babies, hook-ups and sex bans inside the world of the entrepreneurial contestants

Romances, babies, hook-ups and sex bans. No, I’m not talking about the latest series of Love Island but actually BBC One entrepreneurial series The Apprentice. It’s no surprise that when a group of people get together sometimes sparks may fly and that's not just when Alan Sugar is shouting at them in the boardroom. 

Over the past few years The Apprentice has seen one or two romances flourish including Phil Taylor and Kate Walsh who fell in love in 2009 and are reportedly still together. Contestants from 2017 series Harrison Jones and Michaela Wain are parents to the only Apprentice baby to date. Lottie Lion and Lewis Ellis allegedly got together during the series they were on in 2019. 

The Apprentice is supposed to be about business and trying to get employed by Lord Sugar which is why in 2022 the contestants were slapped with a sex ban. The Mail Online reported at the time when the series returned for its 17 season it was “claimed a clause in their contract prohibits 'any intimate physical contact and/or sexual activity' between the contenders and members of the crew on the BBC show.”

A source told The Sun: “Any antics could affect the candidates’ performance in the boardroom. The focus of the show is getting Lord Sugar to be your business partner, not finding your life partner.”

It seems Lord Sugar wants you to get down to business without getting down to business - wink wink - with any of the other contestants. But like all rules they are made to be broken so we will see who will be the next pair to hook up as the series continues on Thursdays from 9pm on BBC One. 

Natalie Dixon is NationalWorld’s Lifestyle reporter. If you liked this article and want to read more about celebrities, fashion and beauty you can follow Natalie Dixon on X (Twitter) here.