The Apprentice series launch is branded 'stale' by viewers who say the show is 'past its sell by date' with its tired format, 'carbon copy' candidates and block colour outfits

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The Apprentice has been called ‘stale’ and ‘past its sell by date’ by viewers after they launched their new series on Thursday night.

After 18 years on BBC screens, the show, which sees 18 candidates vying for a £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar, received lukewarm reviews from fans.

Viewers urged BBC bosses to change up the tired format as episode one saw the men and women divided into two teams and head to the Scottish Highlands to host an away day.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, those watching said: ‘I think the problem with this programme is that the format is exactly the same as it was 10 years ago…bit stale. Need to change it up.’

‘I really need to stop watching the Apprentice every year it begins. It is bad. it is really really bad. Tonight’s opener serves to show everything wrong with the program and how if you did that in the real world, all the team is getting sacked!’

The Apprentice has been called ‘stale’ and ‘past its sell by date’ by viewers after they launched their new series on Thursday night

After 18 years on BBC screens, the show, which sees 18 candidates vying for a £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar , received lukewarm reviews from fans

‘Utter joke. Not watched this for years. Sacking decision made just for TV effect. What mugs the BBC take us for. Pathetic programme well past its sell by date.’

While some viewers said they were ‘hooked from start to finish’, others complained the show felt tired, with candidates ‘carbon copies’ of stars from previous years as they complained about the dated colour block wardrobes.

‘I swear The Apprentice candidates are carbon copies of each other… the one girl looks like Harpreet, the other like Victoria with glasses, another one like Marianne from 2019 and Ollie a cross between Ryan-Mark and Annoying Orange’.

Another wrote: ‘Why on The Apprentice are the girls all wearing a totally different colour from each other? I feel like this happens most series?’

Sales executive Oliver Medforth was the first candidate to be fired from the new series.

The Yorkshire businessman was sacked by Lord Sugar after the men’s team suffered a disastrous £506.40 loss.

It was Oliver who ultimately faced the chop after aid Tim Campbell, 46, revealed clients had requested a 52% refund, bringing the total loss to £506.40.

Karren Brady revealed the girls won, but their profit margin was only a tiny  £122.43 after 40% of paying customers requested a refund.

Project manager Virdi Singh Mazaria nominated Ollie and Management Consultant Steve Darken to come back into the boardroom.

Viewers complained the show felt tired, with candidates ‘carbon copies’ of stars from previous years (pictured this year’s candidate Sam Saadet left, right last year’s Victoria Goulbourne)

Sales executive Oliver Medforth was compared to past contestant Ryan-Mark Parsons (right)

Viewers urged BBC bosses to change up the tired format as episode one saw the men and women divided into two teams and head to the Scottish Highlands to host an away day

Another wrote: ‘Why on The Apprentice are the girls all wearing a totally different colour from each other? I feel like this happens most series?’

During the challenge, an embarrassing cockup in the kitchen resulted in one team garnishing fish cakes in sweet crumble instead of breadcrumbs as the rival group served up cold food 45 minutes after it had left the oven.

The mistakes didn’t go unnoticed by Lord Sugar’s trusted aids Baroness Karren and Tim, who shuddered with pity over the contestant’s shambolic efforts.

Split into men and women’s teams, Karren, who oversaw the females, said the fish cakes were one of the worst things she had ever tasted.

She added: ‘It’s obviously crumble on a fishcake… it is disgusting.’

Lord Sugar, who’s been at the helm of the BBC show for the past 18 years, said the useless display from the candidates is the reason why he doesn’t oversee the tasks himself.

The billionaire remarked that watching the mistakes from the under pressure contestants unravel was like ‘seeing your mother in law drive your Ferrari over a cliff.’

There were even more failings in the kitchen from the men, who despite being led by pie company owner Phil Turner, served up stone cold sausages.

Sales executive Oliver appeared to shock himself after forgetting to include the flour while making a batch of brownies for dessert – having to start over again.

Instead of their ‘welcome drink’ being a glass of bubbles, they gave guests tap water.

And time overran during the abseiling part of the task to such an extent that project manager Virdi left his paying customers with just four minutes to enjoy a half hour long Scottish country dance lesson – because they had to get the train home.

Karren said seeing the candidates make mistakes is one of the reasons viewers love to watch the show and entrepreneurs even learn what to avoid when running their own businesses

Contestants including yoga company owner Onyeka Nweze, Maura Rath, Noor Bouziane, Raj Chohan and Sam Saadet (top row L-R) are competing for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment

The most mortifying moment of the show’s first episode came from recruitment director Jack Davies who had the audacity to ask disgruntled guests for a ‘tip’, which went down like a lead balloon.

But Karren said seeing the candidates make mistakes is one of the reasons viewers love to watch the show – and entrepreneurs even learn what to avoid when running their own businesses.

She said: ‘There’s no script in this show and everything that unfolds, unfolds, it’s authentic, it’s real.

‘Lots of people watch this show to see what to do in business and what not to do. As it unfolds, the viewers see it… there are no retakes.’

Once Lord Sugar has plucked out the weak from the strong contestants, they begin to thrive and finally put money in the bank.

Karren revealed this year’s crop earn the ‘greatest win in terms of value’ as they manage to impress the boss, who’s giving away £250,000 of his own money to the winner.

She said: ‘I’m talking millions… so some of them really come shining to the top.’

The Apprentice continues at 9pm on Thursday on BBC One and iPlayer.