The BBC game show is ploughing ahead for 2022 following severe Covid delays. 16 new candidates will face the boardroom each week to try and impress Lord Alan Sugar, but unfortunately one of the key faces of The Apprentice won’t be joining the cast this year. However, Lord Sugar gave the new line-up and BBC viewers an update on how Claude Littner is doing during the season opener.
“Now, you can see there’s an empty chair here,” Lord Sugar told the candidates.
“My very good friend and business colleague Claude unfortunately will not be with us this series.
“Regretfully he had a nasty accident, and I’m sure we all wish him well.”
Lord Sugar did insist Claude was “on the mend”, however, as he updated everyone on his righthand man’s condition.
READ MORE: Stay Close viewers ‘switch off’ after huge ‘blunder’ in Netflix drama
The business leader then revealed another one of his close friends, Tim Campbell, will be replacing Claude for the new series.
Tim won the first-ever series of The Apprentice, and will now oversee a new generation of candidates for the 2022 competition.
Claude himself later took to his personal Twitter page to assure viewers he’ll be returning for future series of The Apprentice.
After being inundated with good wishes on social media, he replied to several fans confirming he’s in good shape.
However, he had already forged a strong business relationship with Lord Sugar, having worked with him since the early 1990s as chair for Amstrad Spain, Amstrad International and Dancall Telecom.
Lord Sugar’s friend and partner won’t be appearing in this series, however, due to suffering a cycling accident on his electric bike in April 2021.
The injury sustained was so bad, doctors were reportedly considering amputating his leg.
Thankfully, this didn’t happen and Claude is on his way to returning to full health to film the 17th season of The Apprentice.
Meanwhile, his replacement Tim definitely has the credentials after winning the series in 2005 and setting up his own digital marketing agency.
The new boardroom judge said: “I was saddened by the circumstances which led to getting the call from Lord Sugar.
“But having been on the show myself, I know the hard work that goes into it – so I didn’t take the decision lightly.”
Despite Claude’s temporary absence, fans were still thrilled to see the popular business challenge return after more than two years away from screens.
The Apprentice series 16 continues Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One.