The twentieth series of The Apprentice has kicked off on BBC One and BBC iPlayer with more surprises, firings, and dramatic boardroom moments than ever before. As the show marks its milestone anniversary, Lord Alan Sugar wasted no time in shaking up the competition, leaving both candidates and viewers reeling from unexpected twists and tough decisions.
It all began in late January 2026, when twenty hopeful entrepreneurs touched down in Hong Kong for the series’ traditional opening challenge. According to National World, the teams were tasked with hunting down a list of items across the bustling city. But what seemed like a straightforward scavenger hunt quickly descended into chaos. The girls’ team, led by project manager Nikki Jetha, managed to collect only two out of nine required items and arrived at the finish line a staggering two hours late. The boys fared only slightly better, securing one additional item, though it turned out to be incorrect. In the end, after fines for mistakes and tardiness, the boys narrowly edged out a win.
Lord Sugar was far from impressed. In a move described by The Star as a “shock double firing,” he sent both Nikki Jetha and her sub-team leader Georgina Newton packing after the disastrous start. Nikki, who had hoped to secure investment for her digital-first mortgage brokerage, reflected, “There were some people who weren’t team players, and they didn’t contribute. You know, they spent more time complaining and moaning, as opposed to giving ideas and working out how we can push forward.” Georgina, whose dream was to take pantomime theatre productions on tour, shared her disappointment: “I was devastated. I spent two weeks feeling sorry for myself but then I picked myself back up, put myself back together and then cracked on ready for the next thing. I probably contributed more than anybody on my team, and I think for the show, the person that contributes the least should go home.”
The double elimination set the tone for what has already become one of the most unpredictable seasons in the show’s history. With the stakes higher than ever—£250,000 in investment from Lord Sugar on the line—remaining candidates had little time to recover before facing their next challenge. On February 5, 2026, the second episode aired, throwing the contestants into the world of children’s publishing. Their task: create a storybook and an accompanying audio version for children aged four to six, then pitch the product to retailers in hopes of securing the highest sales.
This time, the girls’ team bounced back, clinching victory with an impressive 2,855 units sold. The boys, however, lagged far behind, managing just 419 units. The loss put the team’s project manager, Marcus Donkoh, squarely in Lord Sugar’s sights.
As reported by the BBC and The Independent, the boardroom proceedings took a highly unusual turn. When asked to select two teammates to return to the final boardroom with him, Marcus initially chose Dan Miller and Kieran McCartney. But just as the trio were set to step outside, Marcus had a change of heart. “I just had a quick contemplation. I would like to change my decision. I actually do want to send Dan back home and bring in Priyesh [Bathia],” he told Lord Sugar. Baroness Karren Brady, who observed the proceedings, noted, “That was very unusual.”
Lord Sugar, never one to shy away from a decisive moment, responded with a twist of his own. Rather than allowing Marcus to swap his choices, he summoned all four candidates—Marcus, Dan, Kieran, and Priyesh—back into the boardroom for a grilling. The move left the contestants visibly unsettled, and the tension in the room was palpable.
In the end, it was Marcus who faced the firing finger. Lord Sugar, unimpressed by the indecision and the team’s poor performance, delivered his verdict. Off-screen, Marcus shared his perspective on the ordeal: “It was really intense in the boardroom. I had to make a decision very quickly on who to bring back. So, changing my mind didn’t help, but I feel as though there were other candidates that performed a lot worse than I did, didn’t do what they were supposed to do. I feel as though they deserved to get kicked off rather than myself.”
The drama didn’t go unnoticed by fans or the show’s long-time observers. According to The Independent, this marked the first time in the show’s two-decade history that a project manager attempted to change their boardroom nominations mid-process, prompting Lord Sugar to bring back more candidates than usual for deliberation. The episode quickly became a talking point across social media, with viewers debating Marcus’s decision and Lord Sugar’s response.
Meanwhile, the remaining candidates are already gearing up for the next challenge. As teased by the BBC and National World, the upcoming episode will see the contestants tasked with turning basic ingredients—chicken for one team, eggs for the other—into profit. With seventeen candidates left and the competition intensifying, every decision, every sale, and every boardroom interaction could spell the difference between staying in the game or being sent home.
For those keeping track, the early exits of Nikki Jetha, Georgina Newton, and Marcus Donkoh have already altered the dynamic within the house. Each brought their own business ambitions to the table—Nikki with her digital mortgage platform, Georgina with her touring theatre company, and Marcus, who ran a barber shop and hoped to impress with his leadership. Their departures serve as a stark reminder that in The Apprentice, even the best-laid plans can be upended by a single misstep or a moment’s indecision.
As the series continues, viewers can expect more high-stakes challenges, creative clashes, and, undoubtedly, more unexpected twists from Lord Sugar. The show’s enduring popularity, dating back to its 2005 debut, is a testament to its ability to reinvent itself while keeping the core drama and entrepreneurial spirit intact. And with a record number of candidates vying for Lord Sugar’s investment, the competition is fiercer—and more unpredictable—than ever.
With the next episode set to air on February 12, 2026, fans won’t have to wait long to see which team can turn their culinary skills into cash and who will be the next to face Lord Sugar’s infamous firing line. The race for the £250,000 prize is just heating up, and if the first two episodes are any indication, anything can happen on the road to business glory.
The latest season of The Apprentice is proving that even after twenty years, the boardroom drama and the quest for business success remain as compelling as ever.