Alan Sugar defends relevance of The Apprentice
Reflecting on the show entering its 20th series, judge Alan Sugar has defended the relevance of The Apprentice.
Alan Sugar has defended the relevance of The Apprentice.
As the BBC programme enters its 20th series, the 78-year-old judge of the reality show said it still inspires a new generation of young viewers to consider starting their own firms – though he also warns modern culture risks weakening the “hungry” entrepreneurial drive he associates with earlier generations.
Reflecting on two decades of the programme in an interview with Radio Times, Alan said about its future: “It’s not down to me but we have agreed another three years.
“I guess there’ll come a time when either I’m a bit knackered or viewers are phoning in and complaining that I’m like Joe Biden and losing the plot.
“The BBC will spend a few grand on some market research people and ask, ‘Should we get rid of Lord Sugar or what?’ But, at the moment, I love doing it because it’s really about starting a business from scratch with young people.”
Speaking about how business has evolved since The Apprentice launched in 2005, Alan added technology had transformed the way companies are created.
He said: “When people create businesses now, rather than having a bricks-and-mortar shop or warehouse, they are created on the web. I like to have a physical product. Let’s make something!”
Alan argued The Apprentice still resonates because it continually reaches new audiences.
He said: “Every single year I get a new generation of youngsters, 13- or 15-year-olds, tuning in. The 15-year-old of 20 years ago is now 35.
“If you said to him, ‘Do you watch The Apprentice any more?’ you’ll get, ‘No, it’s s***. He talks a lot of b*******. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about’.
“But the new 15-year-olds are so in awe of it. And the show has created an awareness for business that’s done a great service for young people.”
The show, which began in 2005, sees candidates compete through business tasks in pursuit of investment from Alan. With the BBC already agreeing to commission three more series, the programme is on course to approach its 25th anniversary.
The current series opened with boardroom scenes filmed in Hong Kong – the first time Alan himself has appeared there during the programme.
He said the decision was intended to surprise the candidates and highlight entrepreneurial energy in Asia.
Alan added: “Our friends in China are fantastic. The entrepreneurs there are brilliant – people there, and India, have got a tremendous flair.
“And here in England you find that some of the great entrepreneurs are from second-generation Indian and Chinese families. They are great innovators, clever and smart people.”
Discussing attitudes to work and ambition, Alan said modern consumer culture risked distracting young people from building businesses.
He said: “All the kids are interested in now is the latest Nike shoes, the iPhone 15 and TikTok. I sometimes think the parents are to blame.
“Get out and get a b***** job. Go and work in McDonald’s and scrape the hot plates and all that. But oh, no, ‘Not for me. I’m too busy on Saturday’.
“When I was a millionaire I sent my kids out to work on Saturday morning. And they made their own children do the same thing.”
