Fans of BBC's Celebrity Apprentice have voiced strong complaints, accusing the show of allowing a star an 'unfair advantage' during a festive special. The first of two Christmas episodes aired on Monday, December 29, in aid of BBC Children in Need.
Festive Task Sparks Controversy
The celebrity contestants were flown to Lapland for a unique challenge. Their mission was to develop and brand their own Christmas gingerbread biscuits, which involved creating both a promotional video and a catchy jingle. The twelve personalities were split into two teams.
One team was led by project manager JB Gill and included Tom Skinner, Matt Morsia, Shazia Mirza, Angela Scanlon, and Sarah Hadland. Their rivals were managed by Rob Rinder and featured Charlie Hedges, AJ Odudu, Jake Wood, Kadeena Cox, and Eddie Kadi.
Musical Expertise Raises Eyebrows
The controversy ignited during the jingle-creation segment of the task. JB Gill, a member of the chart-topping band JLS, used his professional music industry experience to lead his team. He performed an infectious theme tune with teammates Sarah and Angela, impressing advisor Mike Soutar.
Soutar praised JB's know-how, telling cameras: "He knows how to brief a sound engineer, he knows how to get a sound out of things, he knows how to deal with his team." However, this very expertise did not sit well with many viewers watching at home.
Viewers React on Social Media
Audiences took to platforms like Reddit to express their dissatisfaction, feeling the rules were skewed. One viewer stated plainly, "It's kind of cheating having JB on your team for this," while another questioned, "Surely JB should be reasonably good at this."
Concerns were also raised about the tactics of the opposing team, who enlisted the vocal talents of major music stars Tom Grennan and Craig David for their jingle. This move further fuelled the debate about fairness. "Calling Tom Grennan should be an instant disqualification," argued one fan. Another asked incredulously, "They've only got Craig David to do the jingle! Should that be allowed though?"
The teams' gingerbread creations—Gary the Penguin and Jolly McTrouble—were set to be presented to retail experts in London on Tuesday, December 30, where Lord Sugar would decide the winning team. Despite the online furore, the special remains available for streaming on BBC iPlayer.
