The Apprentice 2026 - starts tonight - first stop Hong Kong!

[IHeartMyTissues]

Anyone else looking forward to the new series?

First task is the classic buying task, but it's taking place in Hong Kong.

There's also a new companion show - 'Unfinished Business' - let's hope it's a return to form after several years of the 'All About Tom Allen' show 😆

I just don't see how Karishma got through the selection process. She seems to have a high level of competence in quite a few areas and talks a lot of sense. The team would have done better on that last task if everyone else had staying the house. Maybe she has a comedy business plan for the interview phase.

I don't really understand why they have to do that - it just doesn't happen in real life. In over 30 years in corporate environments not once have had a call at 5am to be told that a car is picking me up in 20 mins. I've had plenty of 5am cars but always planned at least the day before.

Most of the women couldn't possibly do their hair and makeup in 20 minutes.
I couldn't and I'm not as high maintenance as some of them seem.

How the heck did Lawrence not get the chop?

I think Kieran will make the final…not a great line up left and few females

I am still a little behind, just watching the Egypt episode but have broken off because I am suffering some serious deja vu.
I have watched every series of The Apprentice and while there are lots of recurring tasks like shopping lists, tv selling, advertising, etc. I feel like I have seen pretty much this exact task quite recently. I know the corporate away day task is an old favourite but I'm sure I remember the candidates having to arrange one in very similar circumstances in the last couple of years. They definitely had a desert setting and they offered a coffee-making class as one of the activities. The two things I remember were Simba riding on a camel and one of the teams deciding to save money by not ordering enough water for a day out in a desert! Does anyone else remember this and am I the only person who seems to think the tasks were near identical?

Yes. That was in Dubai in the 2023 series.

When Levi said to Lawrence that he hadn't chosen him, "because "I've a Yorkshire twang" , I could have sworn he said, "because I'm a Yorkshire Twat".

Had to play it back in iplayer.

theres been a few times this series that Karishma has impressed me, and she didn’t let me down this week. Even if she doesn’t win I think she will go far. Team Karishma!

Been avoiding thread as I was ill last night and went to bed 8pm. Lawrence should have gone. He hasn't been marvellous enough over the last 7 weeks to justify staying after that fiasco. By all means, Rajan could have got kicked out too but no way should Lawrence have stayed.

Don't think it takes Mystic Meg to predict that if his team loses next week, Levi is a goner.

Agree. Should have been a double firing- Lawrence and Rajan. Both were completely useless.

Karen really likes Karishma, she praises her at every opportunity. Having said, she gets plenty of opportunities. I think she could win.

Just catching up
I have liked Karishma from the children's books task!
Just call me Baroness Stacy
<preens self 💁‍♀️>

StacyFromCroydon · 06/02/2026 07:29
I like Karishma, she actually has a personality.

Funny episode. We were howling every time someone said frogs.
I like Karishma

Karishma seems to belong to the first few series when it was an entertaining programme but a lot of the contestants were competent people that you could learn something from.

Nowadays, it's very much a light entertainment show where contestants are set up to fail and she doesn't seem to fit the criteria.

I think the producers' change of approach was signalled when the Adrian Chiles (then presenting a day time business news show) was replaced as host of the after show by a series of comedians.

I agree too. He was dreadful, only made decisions related to himself and was an awful PM. It's so obvious that even when they are crap, if they have a business that is vaguely investable, they will get through at least to the final 5. Probably because LS doesn't want to be lumbered with some eBay shop that apparently has a £1 million turnover!

Karishma for the win.

Karishma for the win.

I'm disappointed that they no longer say what their business plan was after they get fired.
I used to find that quite interesting.

They dont. That waking up at 5am part is staged. Past contestants have come out saying so previously.

I assume the producers tell them they have to act like everything is new and can't refer to learning from past series. I randomly watched Beast Games on Netflix and found that quite unusual in the contestants in series 2 had clearly studied series 1 in detail and were allowed to talk about it completely openly.

Kaishmas business plan is upscaling her beauty/skincare brand. I think she's the standout candidate and deserves to go far but the plan is a bit questionable given the saturated skincare/beauty market, unless she has a great usp.

I noticed she was very gracious too when Sugar mentioned her not being in the pitch and her saying the guys had all the info, when really they were useless without her and she won that task for them.

😂

maybe the BBC editing team were having a bit of post production fun given what came out about him?!

And I'm disappointed that we can now find out what there business plan is before the interviews episode. Or maybe you always could and I just didn't notice. I try not to find out or it would spoil it a bit for me.

Yes and its bright outside when leaving and artist studios/kitchen etc are all available for the task at the crack of dawn too!