The Apprentice rescheduled to avoid General Election clash

The moves comes after the BBC was criticised for political impartiality by allowing Sugar to continue with the show following his appointment to the House of Lords as an enterprise tsar.

The BBC ruled that Sugar could remain on the reality series, but said that it would reconsider the scheduling if it clashed with the run-up to a general election. The business reality show normally kicks off in March and runs for three months.

Filming is already well under-way with Karen Brady, ex Managing Director of Birmingham City football club, taking the role of left hand woman to Lord Sugar, a role previously occupied by ex-lawyer Margaret Mountford (pictured above)

The spinoff show Junior Apprentice will also be pushed back.

“The Apprentice and Junior Apprentice have been moved back to the summer in order to avoid having a break in the run of either show should a general election be called,” confirmed a BBC spokesperson.

Former restaurateur Yasmina Siadatan triumphed on last year’s series, claiming a £100,000-a-year job working for Sugar as her prize.