So an ex-Apprentice like me, now working in the media, is perhaps not someone he wants to see.
In the new series do not expect a cuddlier Sugar. He is stronger, tougher and at times brutal. Gone is the “I don’t like . . .” speech. This time he states: “I’m the most belligerent person you could ever come across.” This is why he has gone from a recognised business name to become a business icon. In Jonathan Ross terms, he is now a “national treasure”.
The new candidates were certainly not chosen for their glitz. This is an edgy, yet entertaining and real look at Sugar’s hunt for his new apprentice. From the opening sequence, words such as “streetwise”, “tough” and “ruthless” punctuate the narrative. A taste of what is to come.
Regarded as a sleeper hit for BBC2 last year, building to more than 4m viewers a week, a second series of The Apprentice has been commissioned.
Once again, Sugar is the boss. His trusty sidekicks, Margaret Mountford and Nick Hewer, who have both worked with him for more than 20 years, are with him every step of the way to ensure fair play and assist in his search for his new Apprentice.
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If you missed the last series, I shall explain the premise.
Take 14 hopefuls from 10,000 applicants, seven men and seven women. Put them in two teams. Episode one is the boys versus the girls.
Each week Sugar sets the teams a business task. The winners get a reward and the losers are hauled into the boardroom for a grilling by the boss. The losers’ leader and two others of his or her team then face Sugar, who will unceremoniously dismiss one of them with that now famous catchphrase: “You’re fired!” Sugar will make a lasting impression on you, the viewer, as he has made a lasting impression on me.
Setting aside the image he projects, he is thoughtful, incisive and, in his own way, extremely articulate.
I think the most important skill a successful businessperson should possess is integrity. Just as you think everything in the first episode is going smoothly, Sugar does something very unpredictable to demonstrate how important integrity is to him.
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From the word go, the atmosphere is tense and there are some interesting twists. All this makes for compelling viewing.
It seems obvious to me that some of the candidates never watched or learnt anything from the first series. Ironically, many of the business lessons come from examples demonstrated by these individuals of exactly how not to do things. Watch out for how they choose their team names. The boys’ indecision and crassness does make for comedic viewing.
I am not going to spoil your enjoyment by revealing anything material, though I feel for the first hopeful that is evicted.
Nevertheless, as the series develops, it will become clear what Sugar is expecting from his new recruit. This is not about being the most skilled or best business brain in Britain. If it were, the salary would be higher and the job specification delivered up front. This is a real and genuine entrepreneurial opportunity for the winner.
The journey we are taken on will be as gripping as it is entertaining. What you see will be real. From my experience, when we were in that house and working on those tasks, nothing else mattered in the world.
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So what is new? Well, Sugar’s motor for starters. He has a new Rolls-Royce Phantom. It fits the new image of the show because the house this time is in The Bishops Avenue in north London — or “the Bish” as I like to call it.
I grew up near there and it is more footballers’ wives than millionaires’ lives. Sugar says it is “the best road in England”. He is entitled to his opinion.
This time the voiceover commentary is funnier, as the implication is that if you win, you will be able to live in a house like this. Not on a hundred grand a year, you won’t.
To be fair, the house does have a swimming pool, and I can only imagine the footage that is sitting somewhere on an edit-room floor.
The boardroom is still as austere (it’s amazing what you can fabricate in a studio in west London) and although Frances (real name Sonya) the receptionist has morphed into the glamorous Jenny, I bet the box that Sugar’s chair is bolted on to, to give extra height, is still there.
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The advice I would give to the candidates is that the team that argues is the team that loses. Be genuine and be yourself. If you’re what Sugar is looking for, it will be evident. And if you’re not, learn from the experience.
The big question is: does this programme actually have anything to offer? Or is it simply sophisticated reality TV that is, ultimately, entertainment? I must admit I was ready to say that the second series would play for viewers. As I watched with a fresh set of eyes, I realised that the show’s producers had done an amazing job. The lessons are there for the taking. If you just want to be entertained, it will do that, too.
I am delighted to see The Apprentice back on our screens. This series puts business firmly on the agenda in an entertaining format. Hats off to Sugar and Roly Keating, the controller of BBC2, for commissioning the programme.
So clear your diaries. Apprentice Wednesday is back. The most gripping, 12-week interview starts on February 22 at 9pm on BBC2. You will be on the edge of your sofa, probably shouting at the screen, tearing your hair out, squirming and, of course, laughing aloud.
There is an added bonus this time. Flip over to BBC3 at 10pm and a new show, You’re Fired, will analyse the week’s antics.
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The final business lesson for the day? Being able to spot a good opportunity when you see one. If you want to be knowledgeable in the office on Thursday mornings, I recommend a night in front of the box on Wednesdays. It will be a good investment.