Comic Relief Does The Apprentice

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Comic Relief Does The Apprentice
Genre Reality
Creator(s) Mark Burnett
Starring Alan Sugar
Country of origin Flag of United Kingdom United Kingdom
Production
Producer(s) talkbackTHAMES
Mark Burnett Productions
Broadcast
Original channel BBC One
Original run 2007 – 2007
Chronology
Related shows The Apprentice
Comic Relief
Links
Official website

Comic Relief Does The Apprentice is a special celebrity version of British reality television series The Apprentice, produced in 2007 to raise money for Comic Relief.[1] Five male celebrities and five female celebrities took part in the show to complete the task of running a fun fair.[2]

The show aired on BBC One at 2100 GMT on 15 March 2007[3] and concluded on 16 March 2007 during the main Comic Relief programme.[4] The first episode of the show received strong viewing figures of 6.72 million. It became the fifth most watched programme on BBC One that week.[5]

Just weeks before the show aired in early 2007, it was spoofed in the television programme Kombat Opera Presents The Applicants.[6]

Contents

[edit] Candidates

The celebrities who were contestants on the programme are listed below.[7][8]

[edit] Girl's team

Candidate Claim to fame
Cheryl Cole Singer in the band Girls Aloud
Jo Brand Comedienne
Karren Brady Managing director of Birmingham City Football Club
Maureen Lipman Actress, comedienne and columnist
Trinny Woodall Fashion guru and television presenter

[edit] Boy's team

Candidate Claim to fame
Alastair Campbell Journalist, formerly Tony Blair's Press Secretary
Danny Baker Radio and television personality
Piers Morgan Former editor of The Daily Mirror
Ross Kemp Actor
Rupert Everett (walked off the show) Actor
Timothy Campbell (replaced Rupert Everett) Winner of The Apprentice series 1

Everett walked off the show during filming on the first day, as he was very uncomfortable with the "Big Brother" style experience.[9] He was replaced by the first UK Apprentice Tim Campbell. Radio host Chris Moyles was asked to appear as a contestant, but declined the offer.[10]

The male team in a promotional advert aired on March 10, 2007. From the left: Ross Kemp, Alastair Campbell, Danny Baker, Rupert Everett and Piers Morgan.
The male team in a promotional advert aired on March 10, 2007. From the left: Ross Kemp, Alastair Campbell, Danny Baker, Rupert Everett and Piers Morgan.
The female team in a promotional advert aired on March 10, 2007. From the left: Maureen Lipman, Karren Brady, Cheryl Cole, Trinny Woodall and Jo Brand.
The female team in a promotional advert aired on March 10, 2007. From the left: Maureen Lipman, Karren Brady, Cheryl Cole, Trinny Woodall and Jo Brand.

[edit] The task

The task allocated during the show was to run a funfair. The team which produced the most money for Comic Relief via ticket, food, and ride sales would win. Next, the teams were gathered at Alan Sugar's office and briefed on the task ahead. The girls chose Karren Brady as their team leader, and the boys chose Alastair Campbell.

The celebrities were then given a list of all rides and attractions that would be offered at the funfair, leaving the teams to bargain over who would get which rides. The teams then called and visited celebrities to sell tickets and gain donations. The largest donation for a ticket was £150,000 from a friend of Trinny Woodall.[11] Celebrities that attended the funfair and donated money included Simon Cowell, McFly, Ashley Cole, Anne Robinson, Tracey Emin, Chris Evans, David Furnish, Peter Stringfellow, Girls Aloud, Geri Halliwell, Jesse Metcalfe and John Terry.

In the end, both teams raised a total of over £1 million for Comic Relef. The girl's team won the competition by raising £774,000 to the boys' £286,000. As a result of the girl's team winning, Danny Baker, Piers Morgan, and the boys' team leader Alastair Campbell were put forward to potentially be fired by Sir Alan Sugar. In a heated exchange, Alastair Campbell and Piers Morgan blamed each other for their failure at the task. Sir Alan Sugar decided that Piers Morgan was more at fault and consequently 'fired' him.

[edit] References

  1. ^ BBC One Winter/Spring 2007 — BBC press office
  2. ^ Comic Relief Does The Apprentice — BBC
  3. ^ Comic Relief Does the Apprentice — BBC what's on guide
  4. ^ Rupert in 'I'm fired' TV shock — The Sun, 16 December 2006
  5. ^ Weekly Viewing Summary — barb.co.uk
  6. ^ Kombat Opera Presents — BBC
  7. ^ Red Nose Day 2007 - The Big One — BBC
  8. ^ Cheryl is a Sugar babe... — The Sun, 15 December 2006
  9. ^ Everett Quits Reality Show After One Day
  10. ^ chrismoyles.co.uk
  11. ^ Last Night's Television — timesonline.co.uk

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


  The Apprentice UK
This box: view • talk • edit
Series:1 | 2 | 3
Paul Torrisi | Ruth Badger | Saira Khan | Timothy Campbell | Michelle Dewberry
Sir Alan Sugar | Margaret Mountford | Dru Masters | Mark Burnett | Adrian Chiles
Amstrad | "You're fired!" | The candidates
The Apprentice | Comic Relief Does The Apprentice | The Apprentice USA
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