The Apprentice 2026: Full Contestant Line-Up Revealed for New BBC Series
The Apprentice returns to BBC One tonight with a fresh cohort of twenty ambitious entrepreneurs competing for Lord Sugar's coveted £250,000 investment. The long-running reality business series kicks off at 9pm, featuring the familiar faces of advisers Tim Campbell and Baroness Karren Brady guiding the aspiring business moguls through a series of challenging tasks.
New Challenges and Controversial Beginnings
This year's contestants will face diverse business challenges ranging from creating children's books to selling products live on television, and even hosting corporate away days in exotic locations like El Gouna on Egypt's Red Sea coast. However, the series has already generated headlines before its premiere, with contestant Levi Hague issuing a public apology after historical social media posts containing offensive language resurfaced.
Another contestant, Carrington Saunders, also apologised for filming her nails while driving dangerously, demonstrating that the road to Lord Sugar's investment begins with intense public scrutiny. These early controversies highlight the high-stakes environment awaiting this year's ambitious participants.
Meet the 2026 Apprentice Contestants
Andrea Cooper - The 46-year-old grandmother from Barnsley runs a lettings agency alongside her midwifery career, describing herself as hard-working and resilient with a no second chances approach to business.
Conor Galvin - This Irish photobooth business owner aims to expand his operation to major UK cities, bringing a serious strategic mindset to what he calls his light-hearted business.
Georgina Newton - An East London actress and events manager who plans to create a touring theatrical production company using a converted lorry as a mobile theatre space.
Dan Miller - Starting his business from his Derby bedroom at seventeen, this student recruitment entrepreneur has already worked with major corporations and now aims to scale his community-focused company.
Carrington Saunders - Building her online loungewear business while achieving a first-class business degree, this South East Londoner relies entirely on social media marketing and promises to speak her mind throughout the process.
Harry Clough - A financial sales manager from Battersea with a business concept involving free subscription boxes collaborating with food and drink companies, describing himself as bold, creative, and not afraid to take risks.
Karishma Vijay - Breaking family tradition as the first businesswoman in generations, this beauty brand owner from Surrey has supported her family financially since beginning her entrepreneurial journey.
Lawrence Rosenberg - A public relations specialist from Hertfordshire aiming to revolutionise the industry through intelligent automation, with authenticity as his guiding principle.
Megan Ruiter - This bespoke womenswear clothing brand owner has dressed numerous celebrities and maintains a 24/7 work ethic across her multiple business ventures.
Levi Hague - The former RAF gunner from Doncaster runs a personalised pet cremation urn business and has already faced controversy over historical social media posts, which he has publicly apologised for.
Roxanne Hamedi - Combining her pharmaceutical expertise with personal experience, this Aberdeen resident has created a beauty brand specialising in hair loss solutions, describing herself as a fiery, sassy chilli-pepper pocket rocket.
Marcus Donkoh - Starting with a South London barbershop, this entrepreneur aims to build a global grooming and lifestyle conglomerate with expansion plans targeting New York, Dubai and Tokyo.
Pascha Myhill - At just twenty-one years old, this recruitment consultant wants to launch her own private healthcare recruitment company, seeing her youth as a distinct advantage in the business world.
Kieran McCartney - With a decade of experience as an estate agent, he plans to use Lord Sugar's investment to establish his own agency, bringing what friends describe as hungry, motivated, and super positive energy to the competition.
Vanessa Tetteh-Squire - A tech project manager and swimwear brand owner from North London focusing on fuller-busted women, confident that her clear communication and bold thinking will impress Lord Sugar.
Priyesh Bathia - This global account manager from Harrow wants to expand his cocktail business into a national brand available through supermarkets and mobile cocktail bars, describing himself as the perfect mix of charm and hustle.
Rothna Akhtar - A student wellbeing advisor with a side hustle bakery business planning to revolutionise the cake industry with interactive baking workshops and bespoke occasion cakes.
Rajan Gill - Making a sharp career pivot from pharmaceuticals, this entrepreneur wants to create a business specialising in TV mounting and bespoke media walls for newbuild developments.
Nikki Jetha - Inspired by Kim Kardashian's business acumen, this mortgage broker aims to streamline the mortgage industry while balancing glamour with serious entrepreneurship.
Tanmay Hingorani - An AI product consultant planning to create a digital loyalty and marketing platform for food and drink businesses, using chess-honed strategic thinking to complement Lord Sugar's experience.
What to Expect from the New Series
The Apprentice 2026 promises to deliver the same high-pressure business challenges that have made the series a television staple, with twenty diverse contestants bringing unique business propositions and personalities to the boardroom. From barbershop owners to AI consultants, mortgage brokers to theatrical producers, this year's line-up represents the breadth of contemporary British entrepreneurship.
With the added dimension of early controversies and the ever-present scrutiny of Lord Sugar and his advisers, viewers can anticipate dramatic boardroom confrontations, innovative business solutions, and the relentless pursuit of that life-changing £250,000 investment. The series continues to showcase the evolving landscape of British business while maintaining the format's core appeal of watching ambitious entrepreneurs tested to their limits.
The Apprentice returns tonight at 9pm on BBC One and will be available on iPlayer for those wanting to catch up or follow the series as it unfolds over the coming weeks.
