‘This is exactly like The Apprentice!’ Make Me Prime Minister viewers ‘cringe’ at familiar format

Make Me Prime Minister debuted on Channel 4 on Tuesday and but it left viewers cringing and claiming the series is the ‘exact’ rip-off of BBC’s The Apprentice.

Taking to Twitter, viewers expressed their thoughts of the political reality game show which has a number of format similarities to Lord Sugar’s hit series.

Several fans joked that the reality series is ‘like a Primark version of The Apprentice’ while others asked if it was a ‘spin-off’ for for BBC entrepreneur show. 

Hosting the new series Alastair Campbell and Baroness Sayeeda Warsi, were joined by 12 contestants from different political beliefs. 

However instead of offering a fresh perspective individually, the contestants were split into two ‘parties’ and pick a leader very similar to The Apprentice style.

The contestants were sent out to hunt for voters, who decided which team they preferred following an end of show debate.

‘Spin-off’: Taking to Twitter, viewers expressed their thoughts of the political reality game show which has a number of format similarities to Lord Sugar’s (pictured) hit series

The 12 wannabe political leaders from across the political spectrum, include a diversity consultant who campaigns for LGBTQ+ rights, an Oxford University classics student who idolises Margaret Thatcher, a hairdresser from Extinction Rebellion and an SNP activist who once made the final of Miss Universe.

Also starring on the series is Jackie Weaver, who is the woman whose decisive handling of a Zoom parish council meeting turned her into a national heroine and had people asking if she could be Prime Minister.

Viewers might be pleased to know that the grand prize isn’t a stint running the country, but the show does feature those who have.

 

‘Cringe’: Several fans joked that the reality series is ‘like a Primark version of The Apprentice’ while others asked if it was a ‘spin-off’ for for BBC entrepreneur show

During the six-part series former PMs Tony Blair and David Cameron are involved, offering some advice to the contestants.  

Chief marketing officer Channel 4, Zaid Al-Qassab said: ‘Make Me Prime Minister explores what ordinary people would do if they were PM, so we wanted to let the great British public literally do that – we’re eager to hear what policies they have up their sleeves.’

Lynsey Atkin, executive creative director at 4Creative, added: ‘Being Prime Minister is a very serious job – yet weirdly it’s one most of us think we’d be pretty good at.

‘With a touch of fun – and tongue firmly in cheek – this campaign allows any ordinary civilian to (literally) step in front of Number 10, and prompt us to think about whether we’d really wield our power for the good of everyone, or simply indulge our own personal bias. 24-hour pubs? Count me in.’

Plot: 12 contestants were split into two ‘parties’ and pick a leader very similar to The Apprentice style as they were sent out to hunt for voters, who decided which team they preferred following an end of show debate