The Apprentice season 20 cast: Meet the full lineup of candidates

The Apprentice continues this week with episode two, as the remaining candidates face their next big test in Lord Alan Sugar’s boardroom. Tonight’s episode (5th February) will see the contestants tasked with creating a children’s story and accompanying audiobook, following a dramatic series launch last week.

The BBC show returned on 29th January for its landmark twentieth season, with Baroness Karren Brady and former winner Tim Campbell once again joining Lord Sugar as his trusted advisers. The opening episode saw two candidates fired after failing to impress in a tough challenge set in Hong Kong, where teams were required to secure nine items at knock-down prices.

And as the competition gathers pace, attention is also turning to this year’s line-up. From pet cremation business owners to beauty brand founders, here’s all the candidates competing to be Lord Sugar's next business partner - as well as those who've already been fired...

In alphabetical order, the cast appearing on The Apprentice this year are:

• Andrea Cooper
• Carrington Saunders
• Conor Galvin
• Dan Miller
• Georgina Newton - fired
• Harry Clough
• Karishma Vijay
• Kieran McCartney
• Lawrence Rosenberg
• Levi Hague
• Marcus Donkoh
• Megan Ruiter
• Nikki Jetha - fired
• Pascha Myhill
• Priyesh Bathia
• Rajan Gill
• Rothna Akhtar
• Roxanne Hamedi
• Tanmay Hingorani
• Vanessa Tetteh-Squire

Andrea Cooper

Job: Lettings agency owner

Location: Barnsley, South Yorkshire

Why is Andrea on The Apprentice?

Andrea's keen to secure investment from Lord Sugar to develop a software system to make managing short-term accommodation simpler for landlords and tenants.

"Lord Sugar is interested in property businesses, and I feel he will be interested in a business where there is a gap in the market," Andrea said. "He will not regret taking me on as I am honest, a realist and will say it how it is."

Carrington Saunders

Job: Online loungewear business owner

Location: South East London

Why is Carrington on The Apprentice?

Carrington hopes to expand her already established loungewear business through an app and brand partnership.

"I've already had my business for two years, so my goal is to scale, reach a bigger audience and build a bigger turnover," she said.

Conor Galvin

Job: Photobooth business owner

Location: Cork, Ireland

Why is Conor on The Apprentice?

Conor is eager to use Lord Sugar's investment to expand his photo booth business and set up hubs in London, Manchester, and Birmingham.

"I want to bring storytelling into weddings, birthdays and corporate events, creating fun, unique and memorable prints that people will still smile at years later," he said of his business.

Dan Miller

Job: Student recruitment company owner

Location: Richmond, London

Why is Dan on The Apprentice?

Dan is hoping to take his student recruitment company – which helps school and university students secure opportunities and work experience – to the next level.

Harry Clough

Job: Financial sales manager

Location: Battersea, London

Why is Harry on The Apprentice?

Harry is looking to secure investment for his food and drinks subscription box brand.

"The customer will receive one box every month, for free," he said of the concept. "After signing up and answering a few questions, the customer will receive a free box each month with products chosen for them. It's the opportunity for people to try new things and find their favourite food and drink products."

Karishma Vijay

Job: Beauty brand owner

Location: Ashford, Surrey

Why is Karishma on The Apprentice?

Although she's not a regular viewer of the hit show, Karishma is keen to use it to take her beauty brand to a global level. "I have every intention of winning this by being exactly who I am," she said.

Kieran McCartney

Job: Estate Agent

Location: East London

Why is Kieran on The Apprentice?

Kieran is keen to prove he is worth "every penny" of Lord Sugar's potential investment, which he'll use to start his own estate agency.

"[My friends] often describe me as a hungry, motivated, and super positive person who consistently goes above and beyond for his clients," he said.

Lawrence Rosenberg

Job: Public relations specialist

Location: Watford, Hertfordshire

Why is Lawrence on The Apprentice?

PR specialist Lawrence wants to "reinvent" the industry using Lord Sugar's investment. With it, he plans to deliver "smarter, faster, and more transparent PR through intelligent automation, without losing the human touch that drives meaningful media outcomes."

Levi Hague

Job: Former RAF gunner and HGV driver

Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire

Why is Levi on The Apprentice?

Perhaps the most unusual business to appear on The Apprentice, Levi plans to secure investment in his personalised pet cremation urn company.

"Each urn is crafted with care to help families honour their pets in a truly meaningful way," he said. "I plan to scale production, expand into the pet cremation service sector, and establish [my brand] as globally recognised within the cremation industry."

Marcus Donkoh

Job: Barber shop owner

Location: South London

Why is Marcus on The Apprentice?

Marcus wants to transform his established barber shop into a global grooming and lifestyle brand. By building a network of premium barber shops, Marcus hopes to "redefine men's grooming, driven by recurring revenue, low-cost expansion, and strong brand equity."

Megan Ruiter

Job: Online women's clothing brand owner

Location: Wirral

Why is Megan on The Apprentice?

Megan hopes to take her bespoke womenswear brand to the next level using Lord Sugar's support.

"We are not a fast fashion brand where one size fits all," she said of her company. "Our bespoke feature allows customers to make all our designs their own, appealing to a wider demographic."

Pascha Myhill

Job: Recruitment consultant

Location: Reading, Berkshire

Why is Pascha on The Apprentice?

Pascha plans to convince Lord Sugar that her private healthcare recruitment company is worth investing in.

Her business plan focuses on "supplying experienced, compliant, and compassionate professionals to private nursing homes, care homes, supported living services, and domiciliary care providers and nurseries within the UK."

Priyesh Bathia

Job: Global account manager

Location: Harrow, London

Why is Priyesh on The Apprentice?

Priyesh is ready to take his mobile cocktail bar business across the nation and wants to develop a ready-to-drink cocktail and mocktail product range.

"[I'm] the perfect mix of charm and hustle," he said. "[I'm someone] who's confident, quick-thinking, and not afraid to get stuck in."

Rajan Gill

Job: Pharmaceutical sales specialist

Location: Medway, Kent

Why is Rajan on The Apprentice?

Moving away from his roots in pharmaceutical sales, Rajan's business plan involves mounting TVs and building bespoke media walls in new-build homes.

He's spent time on building sites to get a feel for it, and said he knows "both sides of business: the boardroom and the physical graft."

Rothna Akhtar

Job: Student wellbeing adviser

Location: East London

Why is Rothna on The Apprentice?

Rothna is ready to take her part-time baking business to the next level and plans to "revolutionise" the industry by offering bespoke occasion cakes, interactive baking workshops, and a personalised cake bar station.

Ahead of the show, she warned viewers and contestants not to take her "kindness for weakness."

Roxanne Hamedi

Job: Pharmacist

Location: Aberdeen, Scotland

Why is Roxanne on The Apprentice?

Inspired by her time in the pharmacy, Roxanne has launched her own beauty brand, which she hopes Lord Sugar will invest in.

"The brand is positioning itself as an affordable luxury line destined for major UK retailers and international expansion," she said. "My mission is simple: confidence begins at the root."

Tanmay Hingorani

Job: AI product consultant

Location: Islington, London

Why is Tanmay on The Apprentice?

Tanmay has his sights set on the food and drink industry, as well as Lord Sugar's partnership and investment. Tanmay is confident that his skills and those of the business mogul will "complement each other."

He plans to launch an AI-powered digital loyalty and marketing platform that will revolutionise how food and drink businesses connect with customers.

Vanessa Tetteh-Squire

Job: Tech project manager

Location: Enfield, London

Why is Vanessa on The Apprentice?

Vanessa is keen to continue pushing boundaries in the fashion industry and empowering her customers with the help of Lord Sugar's investment.

She's confident that he'll take to her "exceptionally well." Why? Because they are both driven to success through "clear communication and bold thinking."

Georgina Newton

Job: Actor and events manager

Location: East London

Why did Georgina join The Apprentice?

Actor Georgina wanted to take her theatrical production company, which specialises in pantomime, on the road.

"The idea is to convert a large truck into a fully functioning theatre that travels around the UK bringing magic to everyone, no matter where they are," she explained. "Think hospital car parks, care homes, private events and festivals."

Unfortunately, Georgina was one of the first people to leave the competition after a shock double-firing.

"Georgina, I think you're your own worst enemy. You come in here, you bring two people in and you say they shouldn't be here. And so you leave me with nowhere to go, so Georgina, regretfully you're fired," Lord Sugar said.

Nikki Jetha

Job: Mortgage broker

Location: Hornchurch, Essex

Why did Nikki join The Apprentice?

Nikki wanted to simplify the often overcomplicated (and intimidating) world of mortgages and lending.

"I want to take the fear out of mortgages with a digital-first mortgage brokerage offering radically transparent, expert-led advice to underserved buyers and home movers in the UK," she said.

She was the first person to be fired on season 20, with Lord Sugar saying to her at the time: "Yes you put yourself forward as the project manager, very brave, but you were 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."

New episodes of The Apprentice season 20 air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Thursdays at 9pm.