The Apprentice UK will be returning to TV screens in 2024 for the shows 18th series.

The BBC confirmed the new series of the award-winning business show back in November (2023). 

Series 18 will see Lord Sugar return with his trusted advisers Baroness Brady and Tim Campbell along with 18 new candidates. 

Cotswold Journal: Lord Sugar will return on The Apprentice UK for series 18 in 2024.Lord Sugar will return on The Apprentice UK for series 18 in 2024. (Image: BBC/Fremantlemedia Limited)

The new candidates will complete new tasks in the hope of winning Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment and mentorship.

The new series of The Apprentice is set to start in the Scottish Highlands as candidates from the men’s and women’s teams are asked to organise a corporate hospitality challenge which will involve hosting a luxury away day for clients.

Success in the challenge will mean they go on to complete a host of other tasks, including a virtual escape room, creating cereals for children, discount buying in Jersey, a tourism challenge in Budapest and the return of the infamous TV shopping channel task.

When is The Apprentice on TV in 2024?

The Apprentice began on January 5 in 2023 alongside Dragons' Den in what the BBC billed as "business Thursdays". 

The new series (21) of Dragons' Den starts on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursday (January 4, 2024) at 8pm. 

This new series will see the return of Dragons Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Sara Davies and Steven Bartlett.

They will also be joined by Manchester United legend Gary Neville and London-born, US-based fashion mogul Emma Grede who will join as guest Dragons throughout the series. 

But The Apprentice will not start at the same time in 2024. 

The show has been delayed, according to Planet Radio, to accommodate the new series of The Traitors which began on the BBC on Wednesday (January 3).

Planet Radio said: "Despite The Apprentice usually hitting our screens in early January, the 2024 series has been delayed by bosses to accommodate for the second series of reality show The Traitors.

It added: "It's now being reported that The Apprentice will land in February 2024."