Young Apprentice Explained

Genre:Reality television series
Creator:Mark Burnett
Narrated:Mark Halliley
Theme Music Composer:Dru Masters[1]
Open Theme:"Dance of the Knights" by Prokofiev
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Num Series:3
Num Episodes:22
Runtime:60 minutes
Network:BBC One
Related:The Apprentice

Young Apprentice is a British reality television programme and a spin off of The Apprentice, in which a group of young people compete against each other in a series of business related challenges to win a £25,000 investment from British business magnate Lord Sugar. In addition to Sugar, he was also joined by his adviser Nick Hewer, and new adviser Karren Brady, prior to her debut on the main show, upon Margaret Mountford's departure from the role in 2009.

Premiering on 12 May 2010, the show ran for three series on both BBC One and BBC HD, before it was cancelled by the BBC, after they decided not to renew it after its third series.[2] The programme was met with mostly positive reviews from critics during its broadcast.

History

In March 2008, Alan Sugar made an announcement that he intended to propose to the BBC of creating a junior version of The Apprentice owing to its success, with the intention that it would feature children aged between 12-15 and be aired during an early evening timeslot. He later claimed that "nobody took any notice" of his suggestions.[3] A year later, Sugar announced that he had begun negotiations with the BBC in regards to the concept he proposed - this included a focus on the winning team in episodes; a gentler handling of young candidates; the inclusion of his advisers in the spin-off; and airing on BBC One with a similar format structure to that of the main show, though with no use of the Interviews stage of the contest. Official confirmation that the idea had been green-lighted and production was underway on the spin-off, came in the form of announcement made during an episode of covering the fifth series of the main show, on 20 May 2009, for applicants for the new show.[4] [5] Part of the announcement revealed that the initial concept for the age group of applicants had changed during negotiation, with it now being focused on those between 16–17 years old, from a variety of social and educational backgrounds, with the announcement inviting potential applicants to visit the official The Apprentice website to apply for the spin-off. Sugar remarked that the series, originally announced to be a five-part series, aimed to "promote enterprise amongst young people, as the future of our economy relies on them".[6] In response to this announcement, 28,000 teenagers applied for the show, with ten selected to take part in the competition.[7] After talks about its creation, the show's executive producers were chosen to be Jo Wallace for the BBC, Mark Burnett and C. Scot Cru for Mark Burnett Productions, and Sue Davidson and Michele Kurland for Talkback Thames.

A few months later, Sugar's appointment to be the Labour Party's Enterprise Tsar on 5 June 2009, accompanied by a peerage, led to concerns by the BBC over a conflict of interest in regards to the corporation's political impartiality; while it was decreed that he would continue to appear on The Apprentice and related programming, following discussions on the matter,[8] it was decided to push back the premiere of the spin-off show, dubbed Junior Apprentice, along with the sixth series of the main show, until after the 2010 general election on 6 May 2010.[9] In addition to this, Margaret Mountford's departure from the role of an adviser in The Apprentice, led to Sugar appointing Karren Brady as her replacement,[10] with the decision that she would make her debut in the spin-off. On 3 May 2010, the BBC finally announced the premiere date for the show, which began airing its first series on 12 May 2010.[11] [12]

After concluding its first series, the BBC announced on 28 August 2010 that it had commissioned a second series of the programme, though this came with a few changes - the number of young candidates was increased to twelve, leading to the number of episodes being increased to eight; and the show's title was changed to Young Apprentice. The second series began airing from 24 October 2011; during its broadcast, the BBC commissioned a third series and began conducting applications for it. On 30 August 2012, it was reportedly claimed that Lord Sugar had axed the show due to declining ratings and his desire to concentrate on the main show, but Sugar later stated on his Twitter account that these reports were incorrect, yet he could not confirm how long the spin-off had; the third series eventually began airing a few months later, on 1 November 2012. In February 2013, Lord Sugar posted on his Twitter account that the BBC was cancelling the show, after having debated on its future and decided not to renew it for another series.

Format

While the spin-off's format is very similar to that of The Apprentice, it adopts a more gentle tone with the young candidates, in contrast to the approach given to older candidates on the main show.[13] As with the main show, applicants go through a series of open auditions and interviews, before being whittled down to the final number that will be involved in the competition, which consists of a balanced number of boys and girls. Throughout the process, the candidates, divided into two teams that they at the beginning of the competition, take part in a series of business-related tasks, appointing one member of their team as the project manager (PM), with Lord Sugar having Brady and Hewer overseeing the team's performance on each task, while providing the candidates with an upmarket house/apartment to live in during the competition; unlike the main show, the young candidates do not partake in a series of Interviews in the penultimate stage of the contest.

Once a task is over, the teams return to the boardroom, and go through the same process as in the main show: an initial review of each team's performance is given, followed by a result of their overall effort; the losing team faces a deeper review of their performance; and a final boardroom session is held, with the young candidates involved in it giving reasons and arguments over why they should remain in the process. Unlike the main show, the fired candidate does not get filmed riding a taxi, but instead rides back home in Sugar's limo, and also do not wear an overcoat and carry their suitcase with them when they board the vehicle. The final episode functions in the same manner, with the finalists being able to pick candidates that were eliminated in the contest to be a part of their team and help them to win the contest, with the winner chosen by Lord Sugar; in both the first and third series, the final featured four candidates, and so adopted a similar approach to that of the final episode of the fourth series of The Apprentice, in that they were divided into two teams, with the losing team being fired, before Sugar debated on which of the two in the winning team that he "hired".

Series 1 (2010)

The first series began airing on 12 May 2010. Ten young candidates took part, and the teams were named "Instinct" and "Revolution", with Arjun Rajyagor winning the series.[14]

Candidates

CandidateAgeHometownResult
Arjun Rajyagor17EssexWinner
Tim Ankers17LancashireRunner-Up
Kirsty Cleaver17ScotlandFired in the Final
Zoe Plummer16London
Emma Walker16CheshireFired after fifth task
Hannah Cherry17BedfordshireFired after fourth task
Rhys Rosser17PowysFired after third task
Adam Eliaz17NewcastleQuit during third task
Hibah Ansary16ManchesterFired after second task
Jordan De Courcy16Republic of IrelandFired after first task

Performance Chart

Task Number
Candidate123456
ArjunIN IN IN IN LOSEHIRED
TimBR IN BR LOSE IN RUNNER-UP
KirstyIN IN IN BR WIN FIRED
ZoeIN BR WIN IN BR FIRED
EmmaIN IN IN WIN FIRED
HannahIN WIN BR FIRED
RhysBR IN FIRED
AdamIN LOSE LEFT
HibahWIN FIRED
JordanFIRED

The candidate won this series of Junior Apprentice.

The candidate was the runner-up.

The candidate won as project manager on his/her team, for this task.

The candidate lost as project manager on his/her team, for this task.

The candidate was on the winning team for this task.

The candidate was on the losing team for this task.

The candidate was brought to the final boardroom for this task.

The candidate was fired in this task.

The candidate lost as project manager and was fired in this task.

The candidate left the competition prior to this task.

Episode summary

Series 2 (2011)

The second series began airing on 24 October 2011. Twelve candidates took part in this series, and the teams were named "Atomic" and "Kinetic", with Zara Brownless winning the series.

Candidates

CandidateAgeHometownResult
Zara Brownless16HertfordshireWinner
James McCullagh17County LondonderryRunner-Up
Haya Al Dlame17LondonFired after seventh task
Harry Hitchins16Brighton
Harry Maxwell16Northamptonshire
Lizzie Magee16Liverpool
Hayley Forrester16ShrewsburyFired after sixth task
Gbemi Okunlola16LondonFired after fifth task
Lewis Roman16MerseysideFired after fourth task
Hannah Richards16BerkshireFired after third task
Ben Fowler16BirminghamFired after second task
Mahamed Awale16BrixtonFired after first task

Performance Chart

Task Number
Candidate12345678
ZaraIN IN BR IN WIN BR IN HIRED
JamesBR IN IN WIN BR IN WIN RUNNER-UP
HayaIN IN IN LOSE IN WIN FIRED
Harry H.LOSE IN IN IN IN IN FIRED
Harry M.IN BR BR IN LOSE IN FIRED
LizzieIN IN WIN IN IN LOSE FIRED
HayleyWIN IN IN BR IN FIRED
GbemiIN WIN IN IN FIRED
LewisIN LOSE IN FIRED
HannahIN IN FIRED
BenIN FIRED
MahamedFIRED

The candidate won this series of Junior Apprentice.

The candidate was the runner-up.

The candidate won as project manager on his/her team, for this task.

The candidate lost as project manager on his/her team, for this task.

The candidate was on the winning team for this task/ in Week 7, they won a place in the Final.

The candidate was on the losing team for this task.

The candidate was brought to the final boardroom for this task.

The candidate was fired in this task.

The candidate lost as project manager and was fired in this task.

The candidate was on the winning team, but was fired in this task.

Episode summary

Series 3 (2012)

The third and final series began airing on 1 November 2012. Twelve candidates took part, and the teams were named "Odyssey" and "Platinum", with Ashleigh Porter-Exley winning the series.

Candidates

CandidateAgeHometownResult
Ashleigh Porter-Exley17South YorkshireWinner
Lucy Beauvallet16East SussexRunner-Up
Maria Doran17BelfastFired in the Final
Patrick McDowell16Merseyside
Andrew Tindall16West YorkshireFired after seventh task
Steven Cole17Kent
Navdeep Bual16EssexFired after sixth task
David Odhiambo17BedfordshireFired after fifth task
Alice Smith17LeicestershireFired after fourth task
Amy Corrigan17LondonFired after third task
Sean Spooner16NorthamptonshireFired after second task
Maximillian "Max" Grodecki16KentFired after first task

Performance Chart

Elimination Chart
Candidate12345678
AshleighWIN IN IN IN LOSE IN IN HIRED
LucyIN WIN IN IN IN IN LOSE RUNNER-UP
MariaIN BR IN BR IN WIN IN FIRED
PatrickLOSE IN IN IN IN IN WIN FIRED
AndrewIN IN WIN IN BR LOSE FIRED
StevenIN IN LOSE IN IN BR FIRED
NavdeepIN IN IN BR WIN FIRED
DavidBR BR BR WIN FIRED
AliceIN IN IN FIRED
AmyIN IN FIRED
SeanIN FIRED
MaxFIRED

The candidate won this series of Junior Apprentice.

The candidate was the runner-up.

The candidate won as project manager on his/her team, for this task.

The candidate lost as project manager on his/her team, for this task.

The candidate was on the winning team for this task.

The candidate was on the losing team for this task.

The candidate was brought to the final boardroom for this task.

The candidate was fired in this task.

The candidate lost as project manager and was fired in this task.

Episode summary

Reception

Critical response

Young Apprentice received a generally positive response from critics. Writing for The Guardian, Tim Lusher was complimentary of the programme's tone by claiming that "for once, even the losers look as if they could be winners one day" and Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy said that from the opening minutes of the first episode it was clear that "this spinoff series isn't going to be any softer or less entertaining than the original".[13] The Daily Telegraphs Benji Wilson also praised the series and argued that it "had all of the staggering self-regard and dim-witted hilarity we have come to expect from the contestants on the grown-up Apprentice".[15] The online version of Heat magazine, heatworld.com, praised the series and said that it was "amazing...might just be the best show we’ve seen all year", while The Guardians Johnny Dee claimed that the programme was of better quality than its adult counterpart and proved that reality television "doesn't have to be nasty to be entertaining".[16] [17]

Despite branding it as "compelling", John Crace of The Guardian claimed that the programme "gave us a first glimpse of the nightmare possibilities of Cameron Youth" and claimed that Sugar's softer approach to the young candidates came across as "unnatural". As well as the character of Zoe Plummer, also seen to be unnatural.[18] In The Independent, Tom Sutcliffe suggested that the sight of crying teenagers would leave the audience feeling uncomfortable.[19] Shortly before the programme started, both the National Federation of Enterprise Agencies and the Institute of Directors criticised the programme's lack of relevancy to business; the former argued that the BBC should instead be focusing on some of Britain's four million small businesses and the latter claimed that the programme should be more informative instead of "entertainment masquerading as business".[20]

In September 2012, it was announced that Young Apprentice was nominated for the 18th National Television Awards in the category Factual Entertainment.[21]

Transmissions

Series Start date End date Episodes
1 12 May 2010 10 June 2010 6
2 24 October 2011 12 December 2011 8
3 1 November 2012 20 December 2012 8

Ratings

Episode viewing figures from BARB.[22]

Series 1

Episode No. Airdate Total Viewers BBC One Weekly Ranking
1 12 May 2010 4,620,000 22
2 19 May 2010 4,340,000 23
3 26 May 2010 5,490,000 8
4 2 June 2010 4,590,000 11
5 9 June 2010 4,720,000 16
6 10 June 2010 5,420,000 8

Series 2

Episode No. Airdate Total Viewers BBC One Weekly Ranking
1 24 October 2011 4,740,000 19
2 31 October 2011 4,760,000 24
3 7 November 2011 4,730,000 25
4 14 November 2011 Under 4,530,000 Outside Top 30
5 21 November 2011 Under 4,220,000 Outside Top 30
6 28 November 2011 4,340,000 29
7 5 December 2011 4,610,000 28
8 12 December 2011 4,910,000 23

Series 3

Episode No. Airdate Total Viewers BBC One Weekly Ranking
1 1 November 2012 4,440,000 28
2 8 November 2012 4,340,000 27
3 15 November 2012 4,070,000 29
4 22 November 2012 Under 4,040,000 Outside Top 30
5 29 November 2012 Under 4,110,000 Outside Top 30
6 6 December 2012 Under 4,300,000 Outside Top 30
7 13 December 2012 Under 4,160,000 Outside Top 30
8 20 December 2012 4,580,000 27

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Masters, Dru . Dru Masters . 30 July 2007 .
  2. Web site: 'Young Apprentice' not renewed by BBC. Frances Taylor. 7 February 2013. Digital Spy. 4 February 2016.
  3. News: Nick. Levine. Sugar suggests teen version of 'Apprentice'. Digital Spy. 19 March 2008. 4 May 2010.
  4. News: Alex. Fletcher. Sugar confirms 'Junior Apprentice' plans. Digital Spy. 17 March 2009. 4 May 2010.
  5. News: Alex. Fletcher. BBC confirms 'Junior Apprentice' for 2010. Digital Spy. 21 May 2009. 4 May 2010.
  6. News: BBC announces Junior Apprentice. BBC. 21 May 2009. 4 May 2010.
  7. News: TV Preview: Junior Apprentice – BBC1, 9pm. The Sentinel. 12 May 2010. 12 May 2010.
  8. News: Leigh. Holmwood. Sir Alan Sugar can stay on The Apprentice, BBC confirms. The Guardian. 18 June 2009. 4 May 2010.
  9. News: Apprentice delayed until summer. BBC. 10 November 2009. 4 May 2010.
  10. News: Birmingham City FC's Karren Brady joins Lord Sugar on The Apprentice. The London Telegraph. 30 August 2009. Ian. Johnston.
  11. News: Paul. Millar. 'Junior Apprentice' start date confirmed. Digital Spy. 3 May 2010. 4 May 2010.
  12. News: Alex. Fletcher. Hands up if you're excited about 'Junior Apprentice'. Digital Spy. 4 May 2010. 4 May 2010.
  13. News: Tim. Lusher. Junior Apprentice set to show Sugar's sweet side. The Guardian. 11 May 2010. 12 May 2010.
  14. Arjun Rajyagor – you are the winner of Junior Apprentice 2010. BBC. 11 June 2010. 17 June 2010.
  15. News: Benji. Wilson. Junior Apprentice, BBC One, review. The Daily Telegraph. 12 May 2010. 13 May 2010.
  16. News: Let's talk about last night's AMAZING Junior Apprentice!. HeatWorld. 13 May 2010. 17 June 2010.
  17. News: Johnny. Dee. Junior Apprentice is better than the original. The Guardian. 9 June 2010. 17 June 2010.
  18. News: John. Crace. Junior Apprentice and Midsomer Murders. The Guardian. 13 May 2010. 13 May 2010.
  19. News: Tom. Sutcliffe. Last Night's TV: Junior Apprentice, BBC1, Cracking Antiques, BBC2. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220507/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/last-nights-tv-junior-apprentice-bbc1br-cracking-antiques-bbc2-1972161.html . 7 May 2022 . subscription . live. The Independent. 13 May 2010. 13 May 2010.
  20. News: Business TV has Little Relevance for Small Business. is4profit. 10 May 2010. 12 May 2010.
  21. News: National Television Awards 2013: last chance to cast your votes. Radio Times. 26 September 2012. 28 September 2012.
  22. Web site: Weekly Top 30 Programmes . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130318052904/http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing/weekly-top-30 . 18 March 2013 .