The Apprentice (British TV series)

''The Apprentice'' is a British business-styled reality game show created by Mark Burnett, distributed by Fremantle and broadcast by the BBC since 16 February 2005. Devised after the success of the American original and part of the international franchise of the same name, the programme focuses on a group of businesspeople competing in a series of business-related challenges set by British business magnate Alan Sugar, in order to prove themselves worthy of a prize offered by him. To observe candidates as they undertake these tasks, Sugar is aided by two close business associates who act as observers with little involvement in what is conducted – these roles are currently performed by Karren Brady and Tim Campbell.

Originally aired on BBC Two, its first series generated favourable viewing figures that led to the creation of a companion discussion show, ''The Apprentice: You're Fired!'', with further increasing figures after the second series leading to the programme being aired on BBC One to a much wider audience. The success of ''The Apprentice'' has led to it receiving its own merchandising, including a magazine and official books, along with one-off celebrity episodes for charity, and a spin-off, ''Young Apprentice'', which ran between 2010 and 2012.

The programme is a staple part of the BBC's television schedule, with the programme contributing a significant part to television culture, including parodies and imitations for comedy, as well as influencing the designs of other British-based business programmes, such as ''Tycoon'', and ''Beat the Boss''.

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