Lord Sugar thinks he should get BAFTA Special Award like Simon Cowell

Speaking in a Q&A ahead of the season premiere, Lord Sugar said: "We have won BAFTAs, of course, the programme's won. And then I came up with the idea of the Junior Apprentice, right? And guess what? That also won.

"I think BAFTA should give me a special award for 20 years of business.

"Simon Cowell got a special award for 10 years in music. Why can't I have a special award for 20 years of business? I've got all the other gongs for everything else, the only one that I haven't got is a BAFTA."

The new season of The Apprentice will premiere on BBC One on Thursday 1st February, with 18 new hopeful business owners all looking for the opportunity to team up with Lord Sugar and receive a £250,000 investment in their business.

The candidates were recently revealed by the BBC and they include: Amina Khan, Dr Asif Munaf, Flo Edwards, Foluso Falade, Jack Davies, Maura Rath, Noor Bouziane, Oliver Medforth, Onyeka Nweze, Paul Bowen, Dr Paul Midha, Phil Turner, Rachel Woolford, Raj Chohan, Sam Saadet, Steve Darken, Tre Lowe and Virdi Singh Mazaria.

Each candidate will be studied under the watchful eye of Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell MBE, who will be joining Lord Sugar as his aides in season 18.

Lord Sugar has already been praising the candidates, telling the BBC he is "very pleased" with the forthcoming run "because the quality of the candidates that we have attracted this year is superb".

"This year, we've got a lot to work with."

The Apprentice season 18 premieres on Thursday 1st February on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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