Tag: TV and Film

AJ is best known for hosting ITV’s Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother and Channel 4’s Married at First Sight: Afters.

Reflecting on her experience, AJ summed it up in one word: “Magical,” she said. “Truly magical. Going to Lapland is a bucket-list experience for so many people, and I got to tick it off while being part of something that gives back. To combine that sense of fun, adventure, and teamwork with raising money for such an important charity, it doesn’t get better than that.”

The Irish presenter is known for her turn on Strictly Come Dancing in 2023, co-hosting the Get A Grip podcast with Vicky Pattison and presenting shows including The One Show and Robot Wars.

Speaking about her experience on the festive special, Angela told the BBC: “[It was] absolute chaos from beginning to end, but the most joyful chaos I have had in my life in a while, just brilliant. Honestly, I felt like I was back at school doing some sort of weird transition year project, which we were all ill-equipped for, but you know, no less committed. So yeah, brilliant. Absolutely loved it! Now go and buy our biscuit!”

Charlie is part of the BBC Radio 1 trio Rickie, Melvin and Charlie and has also presented Dance Anthems on Radio 1 Dance.

Explaining the “once in a lifetime experience”, Charlie said: “I’m so grateful to have been asked to do this for Children in Need. I cannot tell you how grateful I am. I feel blessed that I was a part of the experience and also just to have an insight into The Apprentice. As a viewer, I watch the show and it’s just mesmerising. So it was amazing to watch what goes on behind the scenes and how everyone works. And actually I think the production team needs a massive big-up because they’re some of the very best people I’ve ever worked with.”

Fresh from the jungle on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, Eddie is also a stand-up comedian and presenter on BBC Radio 1Xtra.

Eddie called his stint on The Celebrity Apprentice “one of the best moments of my career”, before adding: “I certainly didn’t expect the hospitality, the way we were looked after, the fun that we had. Karren, Mike and Lord Sugar were so kind. For me, it’s something I will hold dear because I made some really, really good friends out of it as well. Which is what is it is all about.”

Best known as Max Branning on EastEnders, Jake also co-hosts the boxing podcast Pound For Pound with Spencer Oliver.

“I’ve met Lord Sugar a couple of times before, so I felt at an advantage really,” said Jake. “So I wasn’t as intimidated as some of the others, I would maybe say. But of course going into that boardroom is iconic and it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to be sat there with the whole team and to go through the full process that they actually go through on the show, and to get an insight into the reality of designing a product and the packaging and the name and the jingle in the TV advert, to do all of those things was amazing.” 

Best known as one quarter of the boy band JLS, JB first found fame on The X Factor back in 2008, before the band split in 2013. Now, he enjoys life on a farm in Kent and has presented Down on the Farm (2015) and Songs of Praise (2017).

Reflecting on his approach to the festive special, JB said: “I can’t say I was scared of Lord Sugar himself, but I had no idea what to expect. His reputation precedes him. But I ultimately wanted to get the best product or complete the task in the best fashion. So it was all very much an open book, let me go in there, see what it is, do what I do best, and be myself, and then we’ll see what happens.”

Kadeena is a successful parasport athlete, having won two gold medals at the 2016 Summer Paralympics for C4-5 cycling and T38 sprint. In 2021, she braved the jungle on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and became the winner of the sixteenth series of BBC’s Celebrity MasterChef.

Speaking about when she received the news that she’d be on Celebrity Apprentice, Kadeena said she felt “predominantly excited because it was for Children in Need, which is such a massive charity and something I celebrate every year and try to be a part of that.” 

She continued: “Plus, the show is amazing, it’s so well known. And honestly, a part of me just wanted to be fired by Lord Sugar. I wanted the finger pointed at me!”

Matt, who operates as Legend on the BBC’s Gladiators, is a bodybuilder and fitness coach, best known for his over-confident alter-ego on the endurance sports game show. 

His trademark confidence seems to have carried over into his game plan for the boardroom, as he said: “The Apprentice is an iconic show and ultimately I knew I’d be good at it, so it felt like the perfect opportunity to showcase my entrepreneurial ability. The fact it’s for Children in Need was a huge bonus. To have a great time, win a competition and raise a lot of money for such a great cause is pretty incredible.”

TV star and barrister Rob is best known for fronting Judge Rinder, as well as co-hosting BBC’s travel show Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour alongside Rylan Clark. 

When asked why he chose to go on Celebrity Apprentice, Rob revealed: “Because normally I’m the one doing the firing or at least the sentencing. I thought it was time to sit on the other side of the table, where the worst that can happen is Lord Sugar’s withering pronouncement that ‘you’re fired,’ not ten years at Her Majesty’s pleasure.”

Miranda actress and chummy Sarah is best known for starring opposite Miranda Hart on the hit sitcom, as well as competing on Strictly in 2024 with her professional dance partner Vito Coppola.

Sarah admitted she was nervous going into the process, explaining: “At one point Tom [Skinner] said, ‘We’re all businesspeople here,’ and I thought, ‘I’m not! Please don’t ask me what business I have’. Nothing, the business of show, Lord Sugar! It’s definitely not my comfort zone, my instinct is to make things funny. I did barrel in on the first day and said, ‘Hello!’. All three of them looked at me like I was mad. Quite quickly you realise you have got to have serious answers.”

Shazia is a British comedian, actress and writer, best known for being a panellist on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff and appearing on Channel 4’s Celebrity The Island with Bear Grylls and SAS: Who Dares Wins.

A long-time fan of the show, Shazia explained why she said yes: “Because it was for Children in Need, so it was for charity and I wanted to do that. And also I’ve watched the show for a very, very, very long time and I’ve always found it very funny. So I thought, I think this could be a really funny thing to do.”

From the Strictly ballroom to Lord Sugar’s boardroom, Tom first appeared on the civilian version of The Apprentice back in 2019, and recently appeared on Strictly Come Dancing with his professional partner Amy Dowden.

Speaking on his return, Tom said: “Look, I absolutely loved going on The Apprentice. The process, the first time I went on it back in 2019, it changed my life, completely changed my life. I got married since, I’ve got three beautiful children, and I’ve got so much to thank the show and the producers and everyone from that experience, and it’s just an honour to be able to come back and this time have a bit of fun and raise some money for Children in Need.”