The Apprentice 2023: Start date, cast and latest news

At the end of the episode, one of them will be named as Lord Sugar's newest business partner and bag a £250,000 investment in their business.

They'll be joined by some of the season's former candidates, who will help them to rebrand their businesses and create an advertisement before pitching it to Lord Sugar and his trusted advisors, Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell.

The finale comes after the gruelling interviews, which saw Karren Brady joining Linda Plant, Mike Soutar and Claude Littner.

At the end of the episode, Megan Hornby, Victoria Goulbourne and Dani Donovan were fired, as their business plans failed to meet up to expectations.

Season 17 began on Thursday 5th January, with 18 candidates heading to Antigua for the first task of the season. Now, just two candidates remain in the running to be Lord Sugar's latest business partner – but who will it be?

Viewers will find out tonight (Thursday 23rd March.) So, read on for everything you need to know about The Apprentice 2023 final, including what time it will air and the two finalists.

For more on who left The Apprentice 2023, follow this link.

When is the next episode of The Apprentice?

The next episode of The Apprentice is on BBC One on Thursday 23rd March at 9pm.

The episode will also be available to stream live on BBC iPlayer or via catch-up.

This will be the final episode in season 17. At the end of the episode, Rochelle or Marnie will be announced as Lord Sugar's newest business partner.

For a recap on episode 11, see below:

The Apprentice 2023 start date

The Apprentice started on Thursday 5th January 2023 at 9pm.

Episodes have aired weekly on Thursdays at 9pm, and are available to stream or by catch-up on BBC iPlayer.

On Thursday 10th November, the BBC announced the show's return, teasing the first task.

For the very first task, the candidates headed to Antigua. The candidates who weren't cast away returned the UK to face a host of equally tough challenges for the series ahead.

From creating their own cartoon, to the world of male beauty, from immersive events, to street food, our aspiring titans of industry will once again have to prove that they have what it takes.

Prior to the show’s two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, The Apprentice used to air on BBC One towards the end of the year, with previous winner Carina Lepore bagging Lord Sugar’s investment in December 2019.

We can expect lots more of the BBC show as we head into the future, with Sugar previously revealing that he has no plans to quit anytime soon with hopes to get the show to season 20.

He said: "First of all, I publicly stated that I really wanted to make it to 20 years. So this one is 16 and I’ve got four more to do to achieve that goal."

Joking that he'll keep going for as long as he possibly can, he added: "I've already worked out the final task in one of the series is to arrange my funeral, to see how well they'd arrange it and what kind of coffin they will get for me."

He continued: "I’m not going nowhere, and the programme’s going nowhere. Please enjoy this current season, which I’m sure you will, but I can assure you there’s going to be a lot more. While I’ve got health and strength in my body, I will carry on!”

Who are The Apprentice season 17 contestants?

This year, 18 candidates were confirmed for The Apprentice 2023.

The Apprentice 2023 finalists:

• Marnie Swindells – Court Advocate from London
• Rochelle Anthony – Hair Salon & Academy Owner from Bedfordshire

Former The Apprentice 2023 candidates:

• Emma Browne – Senior Account Executive from County Kildare – Eliminated in episode 1
• Shannon Martin – Bridal Boutique Owner from West Yorkshire – Quit in episode 2
• Kevin D’Arcy – Accountant from Dublin – Eliminated in episode 2
• Gregory Ebbs – Online Antiques Marketplace Owner from Shropshire – Eliminated in episode 3
• Denisha Kaur Bharj – Financial Controller from Leicestershire – Eliminated in episode 4
• Shazia Hussain – Technology Recruiter from London – Eliminated in episode 5
• Joseph Phillips – Safari Guide in South Africa from Worcestershire - Eliminated in episode 6
• Reece Donnelly – Theatre School Owner from Glasgow - Quit in episode 6
• Sohail Chowdhary – Martial Arts School from Southampton - Eliminated in episode 7
• Mark Moseley – Pest Control Company Owner from London - Eliminated in episode 8
• Avi Sharma – City Banker from London - Eliminated in episode 9
• Bradley Johnson – Construction Company Director from North Yorkshire - Eliminated in episode 9
• Simba Rwambiwa – Senior Sales Representative from Birmingham - Eliminated in episode 10
• Victoria Goulbourne – Online Sweet Business from Merseyside - Eliminated in episode 11
• Dani Donovan – Hair Salon Owner from Hertfordshire - Eliminated in episode 11
• Megan Hornby – Sweet Shop & Café Owner from East Yorkshire - Eliminated in episode 11

The Apprentice season 17 trailer

The first trailer for The Apprentice season 17 was released on Friday 16th December 2022, giving us just a taste of what will be in store for the candidates this year.

Alongside shots of some stunning, sunny vistas, and a reminder that Claude's back in action this season, Lord Sugar reminds us and the candidates that the show offers "the opportunity of a lifetime" while promising that he's kicking things off "with the ultimate task".

You can watch the full trailer right here now:

Who are the advisors to Lord Sugar?

Baroness Karren Brady has been Lord Sugar's right-hand woman since 2010 when she took over for Margaret Mountford. She returned to the show for season 16, and was joined by the show's first ever winner Tim Campbell, who filled in for Claude Littner, as he recovered from a bike accident.

While Littner recently revealed that he feels "well enough" to return to the Apprentice, Campbell will be one of Lord Sugar's main aides for season 17, with Brady returning to the show.

The BBC has confirmed that Claude will make an appearance for two episodes.

Can I apply to be on The Apprentice?

Unfortunately, applications are now closed for the show.

When the applications open again, you can find the form on the The Apprentice's official site.

What is the prize for winning The Apprentice?

As usual, the show's winning prize is a £250,000 business investment from Lord Sugar.

As well as the huge cash injection, Lord Sugar will also be on hand to guide the winner along the way and make their business into a real-life success!

Who won The Apprentice 2022?

Season 16 was won by dessert parlour owner Harpreet Kaur. She beat Kathryn Louise Burn in the final and secured £250,000 for her business, which she co-owns with her sister.

Following her win, The Apprentice's Harpreet Kaur revealed her sister isn't going anywhere, after previously telling Lord Sugar she'd remove her sister from the business if he only wanted to invest in her.

She said: "Obviously Lord Sugar couldn't see my sister, so it was a difficult decision for him, but at the end of the day, we've been running the company for six years and we've got it to the point it's at together.

"He's getting two for the price of one, so why would you not want that? She ain't going anywhere! We make an amazing team and we're going to be a powerhouse with Lord Sugar on board as well."

The Apprentice 2023 final airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday 23rd March at 9pm. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or Streaming Guide, or visit our dedicated Entertainment hub.

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