“The entrepreneur's berating bark and cutting quips are back,” states the BBC’s website. Lord Sugar is back with a vengeance along with 16 more candidates who are all hoping to impress the 64-year-old millionaire.
However, this year the format of the show has changed. "It's no longer a job, it's now a partnership in a business of their own choice," Lord Sugar explains.
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Alan Sugar has revealed that rather than awarding the winning candidate a job at one of his companies, he will instead inject £250,000 into the candidates chosen business. It has been stated that Lord Sugar chose to change the format of the show to demonstrate that it is “east” to start a business.
"We've got to stop all this moaning about banks not lending money," he explains to the BBC. "I wanted to show the general public that you can start businesses from scratch. And this moaning culture that I refer to is something that needs to be disbanded."
Lord Alan Sugar started his multi-million pound career by selling car aerials out of the back of a van, which he bought for just £50; he is proof that making a profit with little capital is possible and can be very lucrative. "That's the message really, that on a Monday morning you go out with £250 and you can come back with £700," says the business mogul.
Now, more than 40 years on, he has an estimated wealth of some £730m and was ranked 85th in the Sunday Times Rich List last year.
And he is keen to give someone else that invaluable kick-start. However, the business guru has already warned the candidates that he plans to take a back seat in the winning venture.
"Don't expect me to be doing all the work because I'm not looking for a sleeping partner," he says in the first episode. "I'm not Saint Alan, the patron saint of bloody losers - you can look at it as a bit of an uncivil partnership, so to speak."
Karren Brady and Nick Hewer will join Lord Sugar again this year to oversee the candidates and watch how they tackle each task.
Brady, who replaced Margaret Mountford in 2009, says this year there is "even more determination" among the contestants.
Hewer adds: "They are even more deadly serious - because this is a huge prize, when it's almost impossible to raise capital to start a business, here is a godsend. "It's a life-changing experience and I think they recognise that."
The Apprentice returns on 10 May at 2100 BST on BBC One
