Lord Sugar is back for the latest series of The Apprentice.placeholder image
Lord Sugar is back for the latest series of The Apprentice. | CREDIT LINE:BBC/Naked (A Freemantle Label)/Ray Burminston

The Apprentice 2026 Business Plans: Here's what all 20 candidates want Lord Sugar to invest £250,000 in - from cakes to personalised pet funeral caskets

The BBC’s business-centric reality show series is celebrating a special landmark.

A fresh batch of candidates are currently competing to win a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar in the 20th series of the long-running BBC show The Apprentice.

First broadcast in the UK in February 2005, following the success of the American version featuring a certain Donald J. Trump, The Apprentice is one of the Beeb’s most successful shows.

Originally aired on BBC 2 it soon made the transition to BBC One, as viewers became hooked on the tasks set by Amstrad founder Alan (now Lord) Sugar.

Season 20 of the show launched on Thursday, January 29, at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Whoever succeeds in ‘the ultimate job interview’ will receive a cool quarter-of-a-million pound investment, along with mentorship from Lord Sugar himself.

But what are they asking Lord Sugar to stump up the money for? Here are all 20 candidates - and their all-important business plans.

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