Celebrity Apprentice Makes Festive Comeback with Star-Studded Line-Up

The Return of Celebrity Apprentice

After a six-year hiatus, The Celebrity Apprentice is making its comeback to BBC screens, marking The Apprentice’s 20th anniversary. This festive special promises to deliver both entertainment and charitable impact as 12 celebrities head to Lapland to take part in a celebrity version of The Apprentice this Christmas, whilst raising money for Children In Need.

Star-Studded Line-Up and Format

The impressive cast features a diverse mix of television personalities, with eight out of the 12 stars having already appeared on Strictly Come Dancing. Among the contestants are TV personalities AJ Odudu, Angela Scanlon and Rob Rinder, comedy actor Sarah Hadland and soap legend Jake Wood. Also joining are Radio 1 presenter Charlie Hedges, comedians Eddie Kadi and Shazia Mirza, Paralympian and I’m a Celebrity star Kadeena Cox and Gladiators’ Matt Morsia.

Lord Sugar sends the celebrities to Lapland, the home of Santa, where they are divided into two groups to make their own gingerbread biscuits. They must create the biscuit, an advert and a jingle before pitching to major retailers.

A First for the Franchise

This year’s special introduces a groundbreaking element. In a show first, their products will be made available to buy publicly, with retailers stocking the creations from 14 November, while money will go to Children in Need. Lord Sugar emphasised the significance, noting “It’s the first ever time on The Celebrity Apprentice that the public can buy products that were created by the celebrity candidates. It’s added some real pressure to the process”.

Why This Matters

The return of Celebrity Apprentice represents more than just entertainment. By combining the beloved format with charitable fundraising, the BBC is creating an engaging way to support Children in Need during the festive season. The Celebrity Apprentice Christmas specials will air later this year on BBC One and iPlayer, offering viewers the chance to enjoy familiar faces in competitive business challenges whilst contributing to a worthy cause. The show’s innovative approach of selling contestant-created products directly to the public sets a new precedent for celebrity charity specials.