One of Britain’s most popular reality TV programmes has returned to our screens for a fifth series. The Apprentice sees 16 ambitious individuals competing for a job with electronics tycoon(电子业巨头) Sir Alan Sugar.
With endless talk of credit-crunches(信贷紧缩), redundancies(人员裁减) and cut-backs(削减), it may come as no surprise that thousands of plucky(adj.用勇气的) hopefuls applied for the show. The chosen(adj.挑选的) 16 will compete in a series of business tasks and do their best to escape elimination(n.淘汰). Not one of them wants to hear the fateful(adj.重大的，致命的) words: you’re fired.
The tasks will as usual be grueling(adj.折腾的，让人精疲力尽的) tests of business acumen(n.敏锐), team-working and leadership skill. They will also make for some hilarious(adj.有趣的) viewing. British viewers will be shaking their heads in disbelief(n.不信，怀疑) at the crazy decisions of the wannabe(adj.想要成为的) apprentices.
What drives people to take part in the show is difficult to say. Some are clearly motivated by the promise of a six-figure salary(十万以上薪水) and some claim they want the experience of working with a successful businessman such as Sir Alan. One thing is for sure, the contestants will all gain some level of celebrity. The show is a regular ratings winner.
To date（至今为止）, there has been one big winner and that is the show’s creator, Mark Burnett. Originating in the US, The Apprentice’s winning format has been copied all over the world and with the hype(大肆宣传) surrounding this latest series, it looks as though the show will have success for many years to come.
