The Apprentice, the long-running BBC reality series, has reportedly undergone a significant format change as producers aim to showcase more explosive boardroom scenes. This adjustment comes amid broader BBC budget cuts and a scheduled increase in the television licence fee.
Format Shift: From Luxury Prizes to Fiery Debates
For over two decades, The Apprentice has featured contestants competing for a £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar. Historically, winning teams enjoyed lavish rewards such as spa breaks and helicopter rides. However, sources indicate these luxury incentives have been entirely removed from the current twentieth series.
A production insider revealed to The Sun that the change was implemented to allocate more screen time to intense boardroom confrontations. "The Apprentice is known for laying on lavish gifts for the winning team," the source stated. "Fans love to see them celebrate their victory by enjoying themselves. However, the producers want viewers to see more of the fiery boardroom debates this year."
BBC Budget Context and Licence Fee Rise
This format revision coincides with the BBC's financial pressures. From April 1, the annual colour TV licence fee will rise by £5.50 to £180, in line with inflation as per the 2022 Licence Fee Settlement. This increase, equivalent to 46p per month, reflects the broadcaster's ongoing efforts to manage costs while maintaining programming quality.
The Mirror has contacted the BBC for comment on these changes, but no official statement has been released at this time.
Recent Eliminations and Contestant Reactions
The current series has already seen several contestants fired, including Marcus Donkoh, who became the third elimination this year. His team's task involved creating and pitching a children's book to retailers, but they failed to secure sufficient sales. Lord Sugar criticised the book for having missing illustrations and "no point" to the story.
Following his dismissal, Donkoh expressed his perspective on the boardroom intensity. "In the real business world, you have a lot of information—you do have to make quick decisions, but you have time to think," he said. "It was really intense in the boardroom; I had to make a decision very quickly on who to bring back. Changing my mind didn't help, but I feel there were other candidates who performed a lot worse than I did."
Despite the outcome, Donkoh affirmed he would not alter his actions. "I think what I did was fine. I am human. Humans can change their minds, and I feel I did get penalised for it, but no, I would not change what I did."
Series Longevity and Audience Evolution
Lord Sugar recently commented on the programme's enduring appeal, attributing its success to a continuously renewing audience. "I think the programme itself brings in a new audience every year," he explained. "Twenty years ago, I had nine-year-olds watching who are now 29. And the new generation of 16-year-olds are coming in and loving it. So the audience is growing. The audience is holding up, and that's why the BBC keeps doing it."
The first episode of this series featured a double elimination, with event manager Georgina Newton and Nikki Jetha both being fired. The Apprentice continues to air on Thursday nights on BBC1 and BBC iPlayer, maintaining its position as a staple of British reality television despite these behind-the-scenes adjustments.
