Lord Alan Sugar says he wants The Apprentice to air for ‘four more years’ as he looks back at the show’s Best Bits after 2020 series was cancelled
Lord Alan Sugar has said that he would be open to appearing in The Apprentice for at least four more years, as fans prepare to look back at some of the show’s best moments.
The businessman, 73, admitted he’d like to do at least 20 years of the BBC show as it’s a ‘nice round figure,’ after this year’s series was cancelled.
The Apprentice: Best Bits will air over six weeks, and will look back at some of the series most explosive and ridiculous moments after the 2020 series was postponed to next year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sticking around: Lord Alan Sugar has said that he wants to star in The Apprentice for at least four more years, as fans prepare to look back at the show’s greatest moments
Asked how long he’d be open to starring on The Apprentice, Alan said: ‘I said last year that I wanted to do 20 years.
‘We would have been doing series 16 this year and I was happy to do four more. But of course it is the BBC who will decide if they wish to do it.
‘I fully understand they are in charge but if they wanted to do it, I think 20 years is a nice round figure.’
More? The businessman admitted he’d like to do at least 20 years of the BBC show as it’s a ‘nice round figure,’ after this year’s series was cancelled
After 15 years of tasks, interviews and business ideas, the mogul added he still enjoys starring on the show, saying: ‘What motivates me is going back to my old days of starting a business from scratch.
‘I love that idea of keeping my hand in and proving it can be done. It’s enjoyable, as simple as that.’
Lord Sugar also insisted that he can never guess who will end up being crowned series champion when he first sees the candidates.
‘The answer is absolutely not. Some start off and they are very impressive and then he/she goes off a bit and then someone else starts to rise and the cream starts to rise to the top,’ he said.
‘The process is brilliant because you can start to see people who have got a good brain understand what they have got to do.’
Coming soon: Elsewhere Karren Brady admitted it’s been ‘weird’ having an entire year without filming The Apprentice and she can’t wait to get back to work in 2021
Elsewhere Karren Brady admitted it’s been ‘weird’ having an entire year without filming The Apprentice and she can’t wait to get back to work in 2021.
She said: ‘Yes. I have been doing the Apprentice for 12/13 years and it has been a long time.
‘It has been weird not doing it this year, as it is very much a fixture in my life. I have missed it and all the things that go with it. I am raring to go for next year.’
In June BBC confirmed this year’s series of The Apprentice had been cancelled after the TV industry was brought to a halt by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement, a BBC spokesperson confirmed: ‘Sadly we have decided to postpone The Apprentice for 2020.
‘Production safety and the wellbeing of everyone involved in the show is our number one priority.
‘While this is understandably disappointing news, viewers will still be able to get their weekly fix of memorable tasks, favourite candidates and boardroom bust ups alongside brand new insights from Karren, Claude, Lord Sugar and many more from the past 15 years in a special highlights series airing on BBC1.’
It was revealed in April the BBC had temporarily halted production on the new series, despite having a group of hopefuls ready to go.
The Apprentice Best Bits airs from Thursday 1st October, 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
On soon: The Apprentice Best Bits airs from Thursday 1st October, 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer