Lord Sugar returns with 6 million viewers

Lord Sugar’s The Apprentice returned to BBC One on Tuesday evening with just over 6 million viewers.

Sugar was joined by his aides Nick Hewer and Karren Brady and a batch of new contestants fighting for the £250,000 investment. At 9.00pm on BBC One, just over 6 million viewers tuned in to see the first episode, the lowest rated first episode since 2007.

The first episode saw the 16 candidates undertake their first task, which began at midnight after a dressing down from Lord Sugar. Split into teams, they had to sell a shipping container worth of imported products.

Jaz Ampaw-Farr became the first candidate to be fired after the girls lost the first task.

The second episode airs tonight at 9.00pm on BBC One.