Hello all and welcome to 2026! I can still say happy new year, right? I took a small break to recoup, as Christmas and New Year did not go the way my family and I had planned, and, of course, watch The Traitors for the very first time. Can I just say wow, what a show! I was gripped from the very beginning all the way to the end. Spoiler alert: I am so glad Rachel and Steven won. However, one of my beloved and favourite shows was back on our screens. Yes, The Apprentice is back, ladies and gentlemen!
I am a huge fan of The Apprentice and have watched it for years. With the twentieth anniversary set for this year, I eagerly awaited the return of this iconic TV show. Two more contestants were added to the normal roster, bringing it to twenty candidates, and a trip to Hong Kong for the first task surely seemed like a way to start the show with a bang. Instead, I think it was more of a whimper than a bang. It reminded me of that nineties game show where contestants scrambled around a house to find objects while the presenter screamed hot or cold. I can only hope they start to do better next week, or this series will not be at the top of my watchlist.
Beyond the opening task, what really keeps me coming back to The Apprentice year after year is the full experience that surrounds it. The main show sets the tone, but it is the discussion, reaction, and reflection afterwards that often shape how an episode is remembered. Being able to see decisions questioned, mistakes unpacked, and moments replayed adds depth to what we watch on screen, turning each episode into more than just a task and a boardroom firing.
Like many fans of the show, I really enjoy watching the sister programme to The Apprentice after the main show on BBC Two. The Apprentice You’re Fired was full of fun and laughter, with host Tom Allen showing us bits we missed or funny looks from unsuspecting judges. I also enjoyed the guest who came on and gave their own insight into the programme they had watched. It was a chance to get more context from the contestants themselves and get to know a little more about what was really going on. The audience also gave their opinion on whether the studio would turn red or green depending on whether they agreed with Lord Sugar’s firings that week.
So imagine my confusion when Angela Scanlon appeared on my TV screen talking into a podcast microphone. I must preface this by saying I do not hate podcasts. In fact, there are a few I really enjoy, but this is not one of them. Gone were the funny reactions and commentary, the organic responses from the live studio audience, and the contestants’ family and friends who would no doubt offer awkward comments about the person they loved so dearly. This new format felt awkward and dragged out, with certain moments being hyped up that realistically did not need to be.
I have watched The Apprentice You’re Fired since Dara O’Brien hosted it. It is inevitable that something will go wrong, but this new format feels too scripted to me. Just because you have a microphone does not mean everything should be a podcast. I feel it is taking over a form of entertainment we have all enjoyed for years. I understand that this format can be easily reproduced and shared across multiple platforms, but that is not what this show is about. The Apprentice is about taking a relatively unknown candidate and helping them and their business win a life changing opportunity that money cannot buy. Why does this need to be the same as everything else? Why can it not retain some nostalgia?
Not everyone should have a podcast, and the oversaturation of the market makes that painfully clear. What once felt fresh and personal has quickly become repetitive and uninspired, with too many shows saying very little in far too much time. Unfortunately, this format simply does not work for me here. It strips away the energy, spontaneity, and shared experience that made the show feel special. I miss the buzz of the studio audience, the unpredictable reactions, and the sense that everyone watching was part of the moment together. Without that, the programme feels flatter and less engaging, losing a key part of its identity. So I am afraid it is The Apprentice Unfinished Business… You’re Fired!
Do you enjoy the new podcast-style format, or do you prefer the energy of the studio audience? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Sincerely,
Catherine
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