Lord Alan Sugar has rejected suggestions that Donald Trump played any part in bringing The Apprentice to British television, as the BBC prepares to air the programme’s 20th series later this month.
The 78-year-old entrepreneur says the long-running business show has become a defining part of his public life, even though his career spans decades of building companies, backing start-ups and creating jobs across the UK.
Speaking ahead of the anniversary series, Lord Sugar made it clear that while the American version of the show arrived first, the UK edition has always been its own project with a distinctly British identity.
Did Donald Trump influence the UK version of The Apprentice?
Addressing comments previously made by the former US President, Lord Sugar was direct in setting the record straight.
“Donald Trump will tell you that he gave me the job, which he did not,” he said. “To be fair, he was the first one to do it in America.”
The US edition of The Apprentice launched in 2004, with the UK version following a year later on BBC One in 2005. Although the format is shared, the BBC series was developed independently and shaped around British business values, investment models and workplace culture.
Will The Apprentice shape Lord Sugar’s long-term legacy?
Despite his long-standing reputation as a businessman and former Tottenham Hotspur chairman, Lord Sugar accepts that the programme may be what many people remember him for.
“It’s something I’ll remember forever, and I suppose I’ll be remembered for it too,” he said.
He believes the show’s biggest achievement is not its ratings, but its influence on young people across the country.
“Helping businesses and encouraging young people to think about going into business is a great achievement,” he added.
Over the past two decades, the apprentice has invested millions of pounds into winning candidates, with each series champion receiving a £250,000 investment in return for a share of their company.
Why has The Apprentice survived for two decades?
Reaching a 20th series is something Lord Sugar admits he never expected when filming began in the mid-2000s.
“Back in series one, I had no idea I’d still be here 20 years later,” he said.
He credits the programme’s staying power to its ability to attract fresh viewers while holding on to loyal fans.
“People who were nine years old when it started are now approaching 30, and a new generation of teenagers is discovering it,” he explained.
That constant renewal has helped keep The Apprentice among the BBC’s most-watched factual entertainment shows.
Who joins Lord Sugar in the boardroom this year?
Lord Sugar will once again be supported by Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell when the new series begins.
Tim Campbell’s role carries particular meaning, as he won the very first series in 2005.
“Tim won the show in series one, and now he’s one of my advisers,” Lord Sugar said. “It really brings everything full circle.”
What can viewers expect from series 20?
The BBC has confirmed that the latest group of candidates will face tasks designed around modern UK business challenges, including higher costs, changing consumer behaviour and the growing importance of digital trading.
As always, contestants will battle through weekly challenges before pitching their business plans directly to Lord Sugar in the final boardroom.
