Lord Sugar will see you now! The Apprentice is back on the BBC for its 17th season, meaning that there’s a whole new line-up of self-described business experts hoping to receive a £250,000 investment from the man himself.
Over the course of the next 12 weeks, the Apprentice candidates will split into two teams to take part in a series of challenges designed to put their skills to the test.
Watching from the sidelines will be Lord Alan Sugar’s trusted advisors Karren Brady, Tim Campbell and, for two episodes, Claude Littner.
Acting as Lord Sugar’s eyes and ears, they’ll have a front row seat as the candidates dream up ideas, negotiate with potential clients and, inevitably, argue amongst themselves.
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Among this year’s group of 18 hopefuls is Gregory Ebbs, who boasts a seriously varied CV. Having previously worked as a professional cannon firer, he is also a local councillor and owns his own online antiques marketplace.
Will his eclectic work experience catch Lord Sugar’s attention? Here’s what we know so far about Gregory.
Who is Gregory Ebbs?
Job: Online antiques marketplace owner
From: Shropshire
Instagram: @gregariousebbs
With a stint firing cannons in Malta on his CV, Gregory’s career history is certainly a little different to that of the average Apprentice contestant – but he reckons that “being slightly more unusual than most” will give him the edge on the show, as he has “diverse experience in different fields” and is willing “to try things that very few people will do”.
“Some people might think, ‘Why did you go to Malta to fire cannons when you could be earning so much more in the City of London?’” he adds. “But I would say, a willingness to try different things and not be afraid to be slightly different is one of my biggest strengths”.
Gregory reckons he has “the experience and the vision” to become Lord Sugar’s business partner – and believes that his company is “leading the way in e-commerce for antiques”.
“I’m the James Bond of the business world…”
— The Apprentice (@bbcapprentice) January 3, 2023
Meet this series’ candidates – they’re better than ever.
Brand new #TheApprentice on #iPlayer from 5 Jan at 9pm pic.twitter.com/nhwXZpIpb0
What has Gregory said about joining The Apprentice?
Confirming his place on The Apprentice line-up with a post on Instagram, Gregory wrote: “It’s about that time ladies and gentlemen! Excited to announce that I am a candidate on this year’s The Apprentice. Watch me blast the competition away to hopefully win the £250,000 from Lord Sugar for my business Raven Yard Antiques.”
When does The Apprentice start?
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Wheelie suitcases at the ready: the new season of The Apprentice will begin on Thursday 5th January at 9pm on BBC One and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.
The opening episode will see the new candidates starting off their Apprentice journey in high-flying style, jetting out to Antigua in the Caribbean to design, sell and run bespoke excursions for tourists.
Karren and Claude will be on hand to see who’s a potential winner in the making and who’s likely to end up in the so-called ‘losers’ café‘, before Lord Sugar ultimately decides which contestant to fire.
The Apprentice will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday 5th January 2023. 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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