I won't be watching.
Over the last few days there have been adverts for it on the radio, with quotes from the contestants along the lines of "I was born to be in business", "I have a heart of steel" and "All I do is work". I am paraphrasing as I can't remember the exact words, but that was the gist.
Is it just me, or are these all really rather sad lines? To my mind, these are precisely the sentiments that would stop someone from getting along in the world of industry and commerce. How about "I want to contribute to a team with a shared goal" or "Understanding other people is important to me", or, shock horror "Business isn't everything - I want to keep a sense of proportion in my life."
Now I know that The Apprentice shouldn't be viewed as an instructional programme or as something we should learn from. It is a game show / reality TV offering, and if considered as such, then fine. But, just like people who have ambition to be in the entertainment business now think that the way to get ahead is to get noticed on the X Factor or Britain's Got Talent, I wonder whether young people do actually think that emulating the contestants on this show will stand them in good stead in their careers. I hope not.
Apparently there is a change to this series in that the first prize is no longer having a well paid job carrying Alan Sugar's bags for him (or whatever it is that previous winners have done) but rather to get some investment from his Lordship to put towards starting up their own business. Maybe this will attract a different sort of interest and different skills will be valued. Maybe.