With The Traitors over for another year, there’s a reality TV-shaped void in our lives we’re now ready to be filled.
Thankfully, a new series of The Apprentice is upon us, meaning we’re about to spend the next 12 weeks of our lives immersing ourselves in all of the usual finger-pointing, awkward-punning, eye-rolling and, of course, those early morning phone calls.
But just how genuine are those wake-up calls? Do the contestants really have to leap out of bed to answer the trusty landline? And do they really have as little time to get ready in the morning as we’re led to believe?
Well, former candidate Thomas Skinner has the answers.
Thomas – who competed on The Apprentice back in 2019 – revealed to Sky Casino that those ominous calls really do come as early as they appear on screen, with the candidates given just 20 minutes from that point to get themselves fully ready for the long day ahead.
However, if you’re wondering how they manage it, there is a bit of TV magic at play.
“They do tell you the night before what time the phone will ring,” Thomas recalled. “So you can set your alarm for half an hour earlier to start getting ready.”
A total of 18 new contestants are competing on this year’s season of The Apprentice, in a bid to secure a £250,000 investment under the mentorship of Alan Sugar.
To help him make his decision, the Amstrad founder will be assisted by entrepreneur Karren Brady and the first ever Apprentice winner, Tim Campbell.
The Apprentice returns on Thursday night at 9pm on BBC One.