Entertainment

Meet The Apprentice candidates: The men

Nine men are among the 18 new Apprentice candidates.
Nine men are among the 18 new Apprentice candidates.

Lord Sugar is heading back into the boardroom to pick a new winner on the latest series of The Apprentice.

Here are the nine men taking part this year:

:: Andrew Brady


Andrew Brady
Andrew Brady (BBC)

Age: 26


Occupation: Project Engineer


Lives: Cheshire


Key information: Brady is a project engineer in the aerospace industry and cites his coal miner granddad as an inspiration. Brady admits he can’t always hold his tongue which can get him into trouble.


He says: “I don’t blow smoke up someone’s behind. If someone deserves credit, I will give them it.”

:: Charles Burns


Charles Burns
Charles Burns (BBC)

Age: 24


Occupation: Management Consultant


Lives: Manchester


Key information: Burns has his fingers in many business pies, including a management consultancy, a watch trading company and a comparison website. He says as long as it is within the rules, he will stop at nothing to win.


He says: “When life throws you lemons, make and sell lemonade for a healthy profit.”

:: Danny Grant


Danny Grant
Danny Grant (BBC)

Age: 32


Occupation: Owner, Online Retail Store


Lives: Kent


Key information: Grant warns that he is not “a doormat” and prides himself on being straightforward and honest. However he confesses that he can sometimes rub people up the wrong way “because the truth is hard to hear”.


He says: “I don’t get on with people with a stick up their arse.”

:: Elliot Van Emden


Elliot Van Emden
Elliot Van Emden (BBC)

Age: 31


Occupation: Owner Legal Firm


Lives: London


Key information: Van Emden’s friends call him “Tory boy” as he used to work in David Cameron’s office before he became Prime Minister. He aims to band together with who he thinks are the stronger candidates, to secure his place in the final.


He says: “Sometimes to get to the top, you have to grease the pole behind you.”

:: Harrison Jones


Harrison Jones
Harrison Jones (BBC)

Age: 27


Occupation: Sales Executive


Lives: Watford


Key information: Jones started his own landscaping business aged 19 and is currently working on a number of business ventures including property development, a healthy eating brand and a luxury streetwear brand.


He says: “I have a good work ethic and am always willing to work to full capacity to achieve my goals.”

:: James White


James White
James White (BBC)

Age: 26


Occupation: Owner, Recruitment Firm


Lives: Birmingham


Key information: White runs his own IT recruitment business and considers his drive to be his best quality – he believes no one has ambition like him.


He used to have the nickname “Del Boy”, and enjoys white collar boxing as a hobby.


He says: “Intimidation is what motivates me. I want to be bigger and more successful than anyone else.”

:: Jeff Wan


Jeff Wan
Jeff Wan (BBC)

Age: 28


Occupation: Business Analyst


Lives: London


Key information: Wan is a semi-pro hip-hop dancer and has performed at the O2 Arena. He hopes to build a legacy like Lord Sugar’s and has been a fan of The Apprentice since he was a teenager.


He says: “I bring character, charm and swagger to the table. Coupled with my professional and educational experience, I am sure I will be able to separate myself from the rest.”

:: Ross Fretten


Ross Fretten
Ross Fretten (BBC)

Age: 29


Occupation: Digital Product Consultant


Lives: Essex


Key information: Fretten does not have a role model, preferring to trust his own judgement and forge his own path rather than following in the footsteps of others. He plans to sit back and let people “dig their own graves” before burying them in the boardroom.


He says: “I’m usually the smartest person in any room and I’ll make sure people know that.”

:: Sajan Shah


Sajan Shah
Sajan Shah (BBC)

Age: 24


Occupation: Owner, Event Company


Lives: London


Key information: Alongside running his business supplying entertainment to events, Shah works at a health and safety consultancy as the head of HR. He claims that the majority of candidates will be using him as their role model after the series.


He says: “I am like a Chinese dish – potent, deliciously driven, full of flavour and I sure do sizzle.”