The Apprentice: how to apply to be a contestant on next season of Lord Sugar BBC series - and closing date

Applications are now open for the next series of BBC One’s The Apprentice.

The Apprentice has been a TV favourite since its premiere in 2005 when Lord Sugar coined the infamous words "You’re Fired" in the boardroom.

When it first began, contestants showed off their savvy business skills in an attempt to win a job with Lord Sugar. The grand prize has developed over the years to a £250,000 investment into their business and go into a 50:50 business with Lord Sugar.

The makers of the award-winning programme, Naked TV, have announced the search for contestants for series 17.

Here’s what you need to know.

How to apply to be on The Apprentice

Applications to be part of series 17 of The Apprentice are now open. You can find the application form with the details you need to apply on the show’s official website.

Applicants need to be aged 18 or over and must be legally entitled to work in the UK without restriction.

Unless you have a medical exemption, you must also be fully vaccinated as certain tasks may be filmed overseas.

The application form has four sections to fill in, from a welcome page to a profile set up, a series of questions, a video and a confirmation page.

Application questions

The application involves questions, such as "why should you be Lord Sugar’s business partner", "what makes you different from everyone else applying?" and "If you did start a new business, what would it be and why do you think you could make it a success? Please answer in no fewer than 300 words and no more than 500 words."

This section also requires a reference.

The application form also asks for a 30-second clip on why you think you should be Lord Sugar’s next business partner.

A file up to 250Mb may be uploaded.

Application form deadline 

The closing date for the applications is 11:59pm on Thursday 10 February 2022.

If you are successful with the initial application form, you will be notified via email by Monday 14 February 2022.

If you have not heard back by the end of February, you are unlikely to have been successful in the application.

The final round of interviews will take place face-to-face in London between 25 February and 27 February 2022 and you will need half a day.

If selected to participate in the show you will be required for up to 10 weeks between April 11 2022 and June 19 2022.

The Apprentice airs Thursdays on BBC One at 9 pm.

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