The Apprentice (UK series one)

The Apprentice UK
► 
Series One

Series One of The Apprentice (UK), a British reality television series, was broadcast in the UK during 2005, from 16 February to 4 May on BBC Two. From its premiere to its finale, the show featured a total of twelve episodes, a standard used for future series, that were aired , along with two specials - "The Story so Far" on 2 March during the midway point of the series; and "You're Hired!" on 7 May, aired after the series finale. Fourteen candidates took in this programme's first series, with Tim Campbell becoming the overall winner of the series. Excluding specials, the series averaged roughly around 2.5 million viewers during its broadcast on Wednesday evenings.

Series Overview

Following the BBC's success to secure the rights to creating a British version of the American original in 2004, filming began in Autumn of that year upon the network receiving an agreement of acceptance from Alan Sugar to be at the head of the new programme. Involved in production, Sugar developed what tasks would be faced by those participating in the series, including the involvement of two close business associates as his aides, Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford, and the creation of an Interviews stage involving both Hewer and Mountford, along with Paul Kemsley, Claude Littner, and Bordan Tkachuk.

Applicants for the show were whittled down by the production staff and researchers until around fourteen candidates, consisting of a balanced mix of male and female participants, were chosen to appear in the series. As part of their first task, the candidates formed teams consisting of their respective genders - the women named their team First Forte, while the men named their team Impact. This series is unique for being the only series to date in the show's history, not to feature an extensive boardroom scene after a candidate chose to leave the programme following the fourth task, and to feature a charity-based challenge with no proper reward for the winning team. In addition, the Final of the series only allowed six "fired" candidates to return and provide assistance to the series' two finalists.

Of those who took part, Tim Campbell would become the eventual winner of the series,[1] and go on to become Project Director of Amstrad's new Health and Beauty division at the time, with his time their documented in a special episode prior to the second series, entitled "Tim in the Firing Line". In 2006, Campbell would leave the company to pursue other interests,[2] and would go on to found the Bright Ideas Trust in 2008, offering funding and support for young people wishing to start their own business.[3][4]

Candidates

Candidate Background Age Result
Tim Campbell Transport Manager 26 Winner
Saira Khan Sales Manager 34 Runner-up
Paul Torrisi Property Developer 34 Fired after Interviews stage
James Max Investment Banker 34 Fired after Interviews stage
Miriam Staley Hotel Manager 26 Fired after tenth task
Raj Dhonota Internet Entrepreneur 30 Fired after ninth task
Ben Leary Headhunter 29 Fired after eighth task
Sebastian Schrimpff Financial Analyst 29 Fired after seventh task
Rachel Groves Charity Fundraiser 32 Fired after sixth task
Matthew Palmer Mature Student 39 Fired after fifth task
Adele Lock Retail Manager 29 Quit after fourth task
Miranda Rose Estate Agent 26 Fired after third task
Lindsay Bogaard Communications Manager 35 Fired after second task
Adenike Ogundoyin Restaurant Manager 30 Fired after first task

Performance chart

Candidate Task Number
123456789101112
Tim WINININLOSEINININININBRINWINNER
Saira LOSEININININBRININLOSEININRUNNER-UP
Paul ININININBRLOSEINBRWINBRFIRED
James INININWINININLOSEINBRWINFIRED
Miriam INBRINININWININBRINFIRED
Raj INWINININININBRWINFIRED
Ben ININBRINININWINFIRED
Sebastian ININININWININFIRED
Rachel ININININLOSEFIRED
Matthew ININWININFIRED
Adele INBRLOSELEFT
Miranda BRINFIRED
Lindsay INFIRED
Adenike FIRED

Key:

     The candidate won this series of The 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 / they passed the Interviews stage.
     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 for this task and was fired.
     The candidate left the competition on this task.

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
series		Title Original air dateUK viewers
(millions) [5]
11"Wilting Blooms"[6]16 February 2005 (2005-02-16)2.02
Sir Alan Sugar is on a search for an apprentice who can prove themselves worthy of a six-figure job, undertaking a gruelling selection process composed of various business challenges. Fourteen candidates selected amongst those who apply find themselves soon given their first task - selling flowers for money. As they proceed, both teams find themselves tackling with issues, including a lack of customers, pricing strategy, and proper team management. When the money made is counted up, the losing team face a boardroom session explaining who is to blame, with each member arguing why they should not be the first to be fired by Sir Alan.
22"Child's Play"[7]23 February 2005 (2005-02-23)N/A
The candidates face their next task - creating a brand new toy for the 5-9 age group, and pitching it to a toy company. Both teams conduct a brainstorming session with a focus group of kids each to come up with concepts, before getting to work on a product to impress a group of industry experts. One team opts to play it safe with a low-key concept, while the other team are forced to accept their leader's idea for a risky design than one favoured by the children. The winning concept is chosen by Sir Alan when pitches are over, leaving him determined to find out which candidate had made a mess of a task with something that was not as simple as child's play.
33"Shop Till You Drop"[8]2 March 2005 (2005-03-02)2.17
With twelve candidates remaining, Sir Alan reshuffles the teams so that boys and girls are working together on their next task - to find ten items at low prices. In a test of negotiating skills, where the teams must search around for bargains on diamonds, champagne, bowler hats, and jellied eels and the other items their list, speed is critical, as both sides must get their purchases done and be back with them in the boardroom or face being fined for exceeding the task's deadline. Only the best negotiations will determine who survives and who goes.
44"The Harrods Sales"[9]9 March 2005 (2005-03-09)2.35
For their next task, both teams find themselves running a concession stand within Harrods, where they must decide on items from the store catalogue to sell to potential customers. While one team shows how to attract customers, the other face difficulties from a difficult project manager and poor sales performance. But in the boardroom, there a comes a surprise decision from one candidate that Sir Alan doesn't expect.
55"Art with a Capital F"[10]16 March 2005 (2005-03-16)2.18
The ten remaining candidates find themselves tasked with selling artwork. From choosing which artist to represent in the gallery they will run, both teams must show how good they are with sales. For the losing team, one member will find themselves being a blotch on Sir Alan's canvas that he wishes to be rid of.
66"Advertising Executives"[11]23 March 2005 (2005-03-23)2.80
Sir Alan seeks an advertising campaign for his company's new Jukebox music system, and so assigns the candidates to design one for a sales pitch to potential buyers. While one team comes together to make an impressive effort, the other struggles to work well to pitch a worthwhile campaign. For one candidate, they'll be no encore when Sir Alan votes on the campaign he likes best.
7SP 1"The Story So Far"[12]2 March 2005 (2005-03-02)N/A
As the battle to be Sir Alan's apprentice reaches its midway point, this special episode gives a brief recap on what happened over the past six tasks.
87"Apprentice Celebrities"[13]30 March 2005 (2005-03-30)2.82
Eight candidates remain, as Sir Alan tests their negotiating skills further by having them attempt to convince celebrities to donate something for a charity auction. As the auction gets underway, there's a tense time for some over how well their lots will do, in which a bad auction sale could be the end of a potential chance for someone to work for Sir Alan.
98"Food Fight"[14]6 April 2005 (2005-04-06)2.74
The teams find themselves seeking out produce that can be turned into products that could sell well at a country market. While one team focuses on making jellies, jams and chutneys to sell, the other focuses on making and selling soups. Only the final tally on sales and expenses will determine who offered the best deal, and who will be not returning to the boardroom.
109"Team News"[15]13 April 2005 (2005-04-13)2.59
The six remaining candidates find themselves in charge of providing a text messaging service that offers value for money for football match updates. As one team seeks to secure subscriptions through advertising via a Jumbotron, the other sticks to using traditional poster campaigns to win them customers. When the final whistle is blown, only the best effort will win, leaving one member of the losing team to face the red card from Sir Alan.
1110"Apprentices on TV"[16]20 April 2005 (2005-04-20)2.40
Selling products on a shopping channel becomes the next task for the candidates to face, as Sir Alan sees which team can make the best sales. Only the right products and the best presentation style will determine who will win, and who among the losing team will be fired by Sir Alan.
1211"Interviews"[17]27 April 2005 (2005-04-27)2.72
After facing ten tasks as teams, the four remaining candidates now compete as individuals in their next task - a series of tough, gruelling interviews with five of Sir Alan's most trusted employees, in which each face scrutiny over their backgrounds, work experience and performance in the process. With only two spots in the final, only the most determined and willing who make a good impression will win over Sir Alan for a chance at his job offer.
1312"The Final"[18]4 May 2005 (2005-05-04)3.77
After facing a multitude of business tasks and a tough interview, the two finalists now face one more challenge between them and Sir Alan's offered job. Aided by some old friends, each finalist finds themselves tasked with holding a special event on a riverboat, in which sales and performance will be the final factor that will determine who Sir Alan will chose as his apprentice and future employee.
14SP 2"You're Hired!"[19]7 May 2005 (2005-05-07)N/A
In this special episode, Adrian Chiles interviews the winner of The Apprentice and the losing candidates to find out what they learned of the experience throughout their time on the show, as well as meeting with Sir Alan to see what he thought about the candidates that took part.

Ratings

Official episode viewing figures are from BARB.[5]

Episode
no.		AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking
116 February 20052.0215
223 February 2005N/AN/A
32 March 20052.1724
49 March 20052.3526
516 March 20052.1826
623 March 20052.8013
730 March 20052.828
86 April 20052.7413
913 April 20052.5911
1020 April 20052.4011
1127 April 20052.726
124 May 20053.772

Specials

AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking
The Story So Far
2 April 2005N/AN/A

References

  1. ↑ "Transport manager wins Apprentice". BBC News. 4 May 2005. Retrieved 10 May 2007.
  2. ↑ "First Apprentice winner quits job". BBC News. 21 March 2007. Retrieved 16 May 2007.
  3. ↑ "Apprentice winners through the years – and where they are now". Daily Star. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  4. ↑ Bright Ideas Trust. "Bright Ideas Trust". Bright Ideas Trust. Retrieved 9 December 2012.
  5. 1 2 "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  6. ↑ "Episode 1, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  7. ↑ "Episode 2, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  8. ↑ "Episode 3, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  9. ↑ "Episode 4, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  10. ↑ "Episode 5, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  11. ↑ "Episode 6, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  12. ↑ "The Story so Far, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  13. ↑ "Episode 7, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  14. ↑ "Episode 8, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  15. ↑ "Episode 9, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  16. ↑ "Episode 10, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  17. ↑ "Episode 11, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  18. ↑ "Episode 12, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  19. ↑ "You're Hired!, Series 1, The Apprentice - BBC One".
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