One of Britain's most popular reality TV programmes
has returned to our screens for a fifth series.
The Apprentice sees 16 ambitious individuals
competing for a job with electronics tycoon Sir Alan Sugar.
With endless talk of credit-crunches,
redundancies and cut-backs,
it may come as no surprise
that thousands of plucky hopefuls applied for the show.
The chosen 16 will compete
in a series of business tasks
and do their best to escape elimination.
Not one of them wants to hear the fateful words:
you're fired.
It should also be noted
that this year's budding apprentices
are not going to be allowed to forget
the grim economic climate quite so easily.
At the launch of this year's TV show,
Sir Alan announced that
some episodes have been "specifically made
towards recognition of what difficult times we are in".
The tasks will as usual be gruelling tests of business acumen,
team-working and leadership skill.
They will also make for some hilarious viewing.
British viewers will be shaking their heads
in disbelief at the crazy decisions of the wannabe apprentices.