BBC The Apprentice twist as two stars forced to leave immediatelyThe Apprentice returned to screens on Thursday night with a new batch of hopefuls vying for a £250,000 investment. View 6 Images The Apprentice is back for 2026 with 20 candidates hoping to impress Lord Sugar (Image: BBC)Two Apprentice hopefuls have been axed from the contest following a dramatic double elimination. ‌Nikki had also summoned subteam leader and actress Georgina to the boardroom, but her positive attitude failed to impress Lord Sugar. Witnessing the contestants' failure, Lord Sugar confessed: "I was a bit disappointed." The Apprentice continues on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursdays at 21:00, with The Apprentice: Unfinished Business airing straight after on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.