The Apprentice 2023: when does BBC series start, what date and time does episode 1 air UK, when is it on TV?

A new crop of entrepreneurs will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Harpreet Kaur - a dessert business owner who won The Apprentice last year - and secure a £250,000 investment in their business from Lord Alan Sugar.

This year, the series is bigger than ever - in the very first episode the contestants will jet off to the Caribbean island nation of Antigua, where they will be tasked with creating and selling excursions to tourists.

When does The Apprentice 2023 start?

The Apprentice season 17 will begin airing on BBC One on Thursday 5 January at 9pm. Episodes will be released at the same time weekly and will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer shortly after they are first broadcast.

The Apprentice: You’re Fired, hosted by Tom Allen, will also return and will air straight after the main show on BBC Two.

Who are the judges on The Apprentice 2023?

Lord Alan Sugar will of course return as the head honcho on the show - the British business titan has a net worth of roughly £1.2 billion, making his money through electronics company Amstrad, which he founded.

Sugar will be joined by Baroness Karren Brady, who has been Sugar’s aide on the series since season 11. She is also the vice-chairman of West Ham United.

Tim Campbell, the first ever winner of the UK Apprentice joined the show as an aide in season 16, replacing Claude Littner who was recovering from a serious bike accident. Campbell will be back alongside Karren for season 17 of the show.

Is Claude Littner on The Apprentice 2023?

Whilst Claude will not return as Sugar’s aide in the new series, he is still expected to make an appearance. Claude, who is worth an estimated £34 million and has chaired several companies for Sugar, had to learn to walk again after a serious bike accident in 2021. He will return for two episodes in season 17.

A source told PA: “We were really pleased to have Claude back – he is a much-loved part of The Apprentice and Tim was a big hit with viewers last time so to have them both in the new series is a real treat.”

Who are the contestants on The Apprentice 2023?

No fewer than 18 contestants will take part in the new series of The Apprentice which begins airing in January 2023. These are the entrepreneurs confirmed to be appearing on the show: