Meet Dani Donovan: The Apprentice 2023 candidate and salon owner
Dani describes herself as "a different kind of business owner".
![Dani Donovan on The Apprentice season 17 Dani Donovan on The Apprentice season 17](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/01/danidonovan-theapprenticeseason17-010093c.jpg?quality=90&resize=980,654)
A new line-up of business hopefuls are polishing up their CVs, getting their suits dry-cleaned and gearing up for some boardroom showdowns as The Apprentice returns to our screens for its 17th season.
Over the next few months, Lord Sugar will be sizing up 18 The Apprentice candidates to see which one deserves to become his next business partner and receive a £250,000 investment for their company.
He’ll be joined by his trusted sidekicks Baroness Karren Brady, Tim Campbell and Claude Littner (who is set to appear in two episodes this season), who’ll be on the ground watching the contestants during each task.
Salon owner Dani Donovan, who started her business when she was a teenager, is among the entrepreneurs vying to impress Lord Sugar this time around. Will she have what it takes to go the distance? Here’s what we know about Dani so far.
Who is Dani Donovan?
![The Apprentice season 17 The candidates for The Apprentice season 17](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2023/01/apprenticeseason17cast-4234cd2.jpg?quality=90&fit=700,466)
Job:< Hair salon owner
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From: Hertfordshire
Describing herself as “a different kind of business owner”, Dani is hoping to bring heaps of personality and relatability to the competition. She reckons that “business doesn’t need to be fancy words and suits”, and her philosophy is that if you’re passionate about something, you will succeed.
She admits that she is “never content with what [she’s] achieved”, but regards this as a strength as well as a weakness, as it means she’s constantly pushing forward for bigger and better things.
What has Dani said about joining The Apprentice?
Dani believes that she should be the one to receive Lord Sugar’s investment, because her business fills “a huge gap in the market” and “feels really current” - in fact, it “baffles [her] that no one has done it yet”. Intriguing...
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When does The Apprentice start?
![FjiYhTxXwAI9r1b Lord Sugar, Karren and Claude on The Apprentice.](https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2022/12/FjiYhTxXwAI9r1b-7229866.jpg?quality=90&fit=700,466)
Crank up the theme tune and brace yourself for gratuitous shots of The Shard, because The Apprentice will be back on our screens on Thursday 5th January, airing at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The first episode will see the 18 candidates jetting off to Antigua, where their first challenge awaits them.
After dividing into two teams, they’ll have to create and sell excursions for tourists, while Karren and Claude make notes on their progress.
When they return to London, they’ll be heading straight to the boardroom, where one hopeful will have their business dreams dashed when Lord Sugar fires them.
The Apprentice airs on 5th January at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide for more to watch.
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