The Apprentice is back for a landmark series – its 20th run — with Lord Sugar and his advisors Karren Brady and Tim Campbell assessing 20 new candidates for the chance to get a huge investment in their businesses.

BBC One’s latest batch of hustlers can talk the talk, but can they walk the walk when it comes to impressing the business-savvy trio? The show fires candidates who don’t make the cut as it whittles down the original 20 to the final two.

In the latest episode, Lord Alan Sugar wanted his potential business partners to make a demo for a virtual reality fitness game.

But it was game over for one unlucky candidate – here’s who Lord Sugar fired, and who is left in the contest.

Who has been fired on The Apprentice?

Rajan Gill – Fired week 7

Pharmaceutical sales specialist, Medway

Rajan Gill was left sweating in the boardroom after the virtual reality fitness game task, and was the unlucky candidate to be told “game over” by Lord Sugar.

Gill is looking on the bright side though, comparing himself to an Olympian who didn’t medal: “I always like to think that being fired does not define you as an individual,” he said. “Let’s say you’re watching the Olympics, you wouldn’t say that the people who don’t win are losers. No, they made it to the Olympics. Being a part of the actual show is such an incredible accolade I’ll always keep with me. So yes, there’s definitely a level of bittersweet.”

He added that his AV installation business was on the back burner for a while and that he was going back to his forte – sales.

“I think being in a 9-to-5 has so much stigma around it in the kind of Millennial age,” he explained. “I feel like the only people who complain about being in a 9-to-5 are the people who are only willing to do the 9-to-5 hours. I think being in a 9 to 5 and a great corporate career is amazing. You know, you have that flexibility before 9am and after 5pm, whilst also having a structured lifestyle.”

Megan Ruiter – Fired week 6

Online women’s clothing brand owner, Wirral

Megan Ruiter had organised 25 corporate events during her career, so she could well have expected project managing the corporate away day in Egypt to be a walk in the park.

However, a combination of raw food and clients being left to dine in wet swimwear led to them asking for a 50% discount, which meant a $290 loss for Ruiter’s team.

She said: “I was absolutely devastated. I felt like there was a lot more that I could have shown to Lord Sugar. I feel like there was a lot more tasks where I could have shown more of the skill set that I’ve got. When I got fired, I was absolutely gutted and especially to be fired on a task that, on paper, is my most ideal task.”

Andrea Cooper – Fired week 6

Lettings agency owner, Barnsley

Andrea Cooper is certainly used to juggling multiple projects – she runs two businesses, achieved a first-class midwifery degree at 40, and is a mum of five.

She was looking for investment in her short-term lettings agency, but fell foul of the corporate away day task in Egypt in week six where she clashed with Kieran during a negotiation.

Cooper said: “It were a terrible task for me, it were another one where I was in the kitchen, which is just not my forte at all. I’m not saying I was surprised because by my calculations, it could have possibly been a triple firing that week. But if there were only going to be one or two fired, I didn’t think that it should have been me.”

Carrington Saunders – Fired week 6

Online loungewear business owner, South-East London

Carrington Saunders was fired for her part in serving up raw potato wedges during the Egyptian away day task, but thought it was unfair to be judged on her cooking skills.

She said: “I don’t think I deserved to be fired. I made a mistake. The show isn’t based on your cooking skills, it is based on your business skills. So, that’s upsetting and also because I actually can cook! However, I suppose that the refunds were so high, it does make sense to an extent, but I don’t think I really deserved it, no.”

Vanessa Tetteh-Squire – Fired week 5

Tech project manager, Enfield

Vanessa Tetteh-Squire wanted Lord Sugar’s support in getting her swimwear and resort wear for fuller-busted women, Ayorkoh, off the ground.

But business went bust in episode five’s flower-selling task, where team leader Tetteh-Squires came under fire.

She said: “Honestly, I just believe it’s one of those tasks where the odds were against us because we had one less person than the other team and it was a task no one had any idea about. Anyone who put themselves up was quite literally up to be fired.”

The fired candidate said that she had “learnt that I am always right” and added: “I think the highlight for me so far, watching back the episodes, has been my strut. My strut has gone down in history. It was something I was just doing to bring joy to myself, but it is now going down as a moment in history – the most ridiculous moment in Apprentice history.”

Roxanne Hamedi – Fired week 4

Pharmacist, Aberdeen

Roxanne Hamedi was fired after her team failed to impress Lord Sugar with their advert for a bottled water brand. While the Geordie Shore star didn’t lead the team, Roxanne was in charge of the branding as sub-team leader, which ultimately led to her being chosen by the businessman to leave the series.

After her exit, Roxanne was adamant that she didn’t deserve to be fired, saying: “I just feel like there was definitely a lack of direction and leadership from the Project Manager, Conor. He said that he wants something bold and clean and I believe that’s what I delivered.

“So the instructions were very vague but I delivered what was asked for with clarity, simplicity and a creative touch. I still stand by it being a professional brand with room to build around it.

“But then also at the same time, being sub team lead, I definitely wanted to get out of my comfort zone and take that risk and just showcase that I’m not someone that’s going to coast through this experience. So I don’t regret being a sub-team lead, but I just feel like my time was cut short in the process.”

The Scottish pharmacist, who set up Browtasia to address brow thinning and hair loss, recently appeared on Geordie Shore as a love interest for James Tindale.

But things came to an end when Hamedi discovered he had been cheating on her and was already in a relationship – something Tindale denied on the show. She told The Sun: “I believed I was in a relationship. I had to come to terms with being lied to on TV and then him cutting me off completely. I had to pick up the pieces myself and so I went back to my normal life of being a pharmacist again in London.”

Tanmay Hingorani – Fired week 3

AI product consultant, Islington

Tanmay Hingorani took the blame for the failure of the chicken vs egg task, where teams had to create a canapé based on either chicken or egg and sell it to a corporate client.

Although Carrington was the team leader, Tanmay and Megan were in the firing line for messing up the negotiation with the corporate client. Tanmay ultimately paid the price for shaking hands on the deal, but he reckoned Megan was really to blame for setting the negotiation ceiling too low, leaving him scrambling to secure what he could.

He said: “When we went into the negotiation, I was looking forward to it, I see negotiation as an art form, but that negotiation didn’t become a very nice piece of art. Karishma started with a monologue which set the tempo and then Megan came through and set the price ceiling by saying £12, and I shook the hand on £11.80 trying to salvage it.

“I did take the bullet in the boardroom and I do think it was unfair. But you win some and you lose some and I can’t do much about it now!”

Marcus Donkoh – Fired week 2

Barbershop owner, South London

Marcus was in the firing line in week two as the project manager on a task to make a children’s book. However, his team turned in a book with missing pictures and a story that Lord Sugar said “had no point to it”.

Although he originally chose Kieran and Dan to bring back into the boardroom, Marcus then returned and asked to swap Dan for Priyesh – leading to Lord Sugar bringing all four in to account for their actions and firing Marcus.

He said: “I definitely did not deserve to go…It was really intense in the boardroom, I had to make a decision very quickly on who to bring back. So, changing my mind didn’t help, but I feel as though there were other candidates that performed a lot worse than I did, didn’t do what they were supposed to do, and I feel as though they deserved to get kicked off rather than myself.”

On what he’s learned, he added: “Not to make rash decisions, and if you are going to make a decision, stick by it. Do not change your mind, do not alter, do not waver.”

Nikki Jetha – Fired week 1

Mortgage broker, Hornchurch

Nikki Jetha was fired by Lord Sugar after her team lost the episode’s task of finding nine items in Hong Kong, including a dragon boat head, a Chinese calligraphy brush and an erhu musical instrument.

At the end of the task, one half of the girls’ group finished two hours late after losing their driver, and it was revealed that neither the boys nor the girls had acquired all the items.

The boys were revealed to have spent £7,273, and the girls £10,200, which Lord Sugar called a “bloody disgrace”.

Lord Sugar told mortgage broker Jetha: “Nikki, yes, you put yourself forward as the project manager, very brave, but you was two hours late and you only got one item, and you were the overall project manager, and so it is with regret that you’re fired.”

Georgina Newton

Actor and events manager, East London

Georgina was co-project leader with Nikki for the Hong Kong task and was fired by Lord Sugar after failing to complete the assignment.

He told the actor, “I think you’re your own worst enemy. You come in here, you bring two people in (to be at risk of being fired), and you say they shouldn’t be here, and so you leave me nowhere to go.

“So Georgina, regretfully, you’re fired.”

The Apprentice series 20 candidates

Conor Galvin

Photobooth business owner, Cork

Conor Galvin could be hoping for a selfie with Lord Sugar to celebrate his win if he secures investment for his wedding photo booth business, Press Print Paper.

The Cork business owner went to university to study medicine, but dropped out twice before graduating in business and law, and making a success of his company.

He admitted: “My biggest challenge will be getting Lord Sugar to see me as a serious candidate. There’s a duality to what I do: the business is fun and light-hearted, but behind it I’m constantly learning the tougher side of strategy, structure and scaling. If Lord Sugar can look past the novelty and see the substance, I know this can grow.”

Dan Miller

Student recruitment company owner, London

Dan Miller’s successful student recruitment company, Young Professionals, grew from an idea he had as a teenager and now sees him work with the likes of PwC, Goldman Sachs and Linklaters.

He said: “Being in the business of helping students navigate the job market, I would say that at my core I’m deeply passionate about helping students no matter their background to secure the very best opportunities when they leave school/college. My whole brand and business has been built around community, giving back and opportunity.”

Harry Clough

Financial sales manager, Battersea, south-west London

Harry Clough has a unique marketing plan with his business Makemyday – food and drink companies pay to have their products included in his free subscription boxes, sent out monthly. There’s no cost to the receiver; the only catch is that they need to fill out a questionnaire afterwards, giving valuable marketing info to the producers.

He said: “I may sound posh, but I’ve got no dosh and that’s why I’m here to make it. What makes me unique? I’m the perfect mix of serious ambition and self-aware humour. I take my work seriously but I never take myself too seriously. I’ve learned that a bit of personality goes a long way in business.”

Karishma Vijay

Beauty brand owner, Ashford

Karishma Vijay’s beauty brand Kishkin combines skincare with beauty products and now she’s hoping to add a little of Sugar’s investment to the mix, too.

However, Vijay is no Apprentice superfan – she said: “I’m here for the investment and to find a business partner, not as a fan. I’m likely the only candidate in The Apprentice history that has not been a committed viewer. This may seem like a disadvantage due to having a limited idea of what to expect, but I don’t intend on being as predictable as the other candidates who have studied the process through and through.”

Despite this, she also offered a classic candidate line, saying: “I know I was born to do something big in this life and I have no intention of being ordinary. My dad always says ‘my daughter puts her hand into dirt and pulls out pure gold’.”

Kieran McCartney

Estate agent, East London

London estate agent Keiran McCartney says he wants to rehabilitate his profession’s reputation, but needs Lord Sugar’s investment to help him to branch out on his own.

He said: “I know the property game inside out, the wins, the pressure, and the graft it takes to succeed. But now it’s time to stop building someone else’s business and start building my own.”

Lawrence Rosenberg

Public relations specialist, Watford

Lawrence Rosenberg has achieved a lot in his career so far – he was named in PR Week’s 30 Under 30 industry list to watch out for. Now, he wants to bring AI tools to PR without wiping out human jobs.

He said: “I don’t need Lord Sugar, Lord Sugar needs me…I’m obviously kidding – I’m not going to be that guy.”

“The kindest thing anyone has ever said to me was by my wife, who told me, ‘nobody’s ever a stranger to you’. She told me that to everyone I meet, I treat them like I’ve known them my whole life,” he added.

Levi Hague

Former RAF gunner and HGV driver, Doncaster

Levi Hague has lived a varied life, having served in the RAF, currently working as an HGV driver, and now pushing forward his pet cremations urn business, Living Forever Memories Ltd.

“People say I’m a man who’s lived a thousand lives, from a tough upbringing to serving in the RAF and now building a business that started from my spare room into a nationally recognised brand,” he said.

“I’ve been told I’d never make it in life, but every challenge and every doubt has only driven me to prove people wrong… I’m not just in this to succeed – I’m in this to show that anyone can turn pain into purpose.”

Pascha Myhill

Recruitment consultant, Reading

Pascha Myhill wants to build a recruitment company with a conscience, providing private healthcare in care settings.

She said: “My goal isn’t to follow the same path as traditional recruiters who chase numbers, I want to build a business that focuses on quality, compassion, and compliance.

“I know how demanding the care sector can be, and I’m passionate about creating a service that genuinely supports care homes and the people who work within them.”

Priyesh Bathia

Global account manager, Harrow

Priyesh Bathia describes himself as “the cheeky, crazy, fun one” and is looking to scale up his mobile bar Boozy Bar, adding a ready-to-drink cocktail and mocktail line.

He said: “I’m the perfect mix of charm and hustle who’s confident, quick-thinking, and not afraid to get stuck in. I bring ideas, energy, and a bit of cheek, which means I don’t just talk the talk, I make things happen. I’m the type who’ll win over a room with my cheeky smile, get results, and still have everyone laughing by the end and won’t go down without a fight.

“Lord Sugar’s looking for someone who stands out, and I do, every single time and let’s be honest, that’s basically my brand.”

Rothna Akhtar

Student wellbeing advisor, East London

Rothna Akhtar is hoping to turn her part-time business, Rothna’s Bakery, into an expanded venture for bespoke occasion cakes, baking workshops, and a personalised cake bar.

She said: “Part-time baking has taught me to have attention to detail in both cakes and life, whilst my wellbeing job has allowed me to read people instantly – a combination Lord Sugar has never seen. There’s a perception that business requires being cut-throat. I don’t buy it. You can make firm and brutal decisions but still operate with integrity.”

The Apprentice airs at 9 p.m Thursdays, on BBC One.