Why The Apprentice films two endings and what it means for finalists

Yahoo

17-04-2025

The Apprentice has two filmed endings for the final of the 2025 series but there can only be one winner.
Pizza entrepreneur Anisa Khan is going up against air conditioner businessman Dean Franklin in the final.
Lord Alan Sugar makes the final decision on who he would like to be his latest business partner, offering them the £250,000 investment prize money. His decision is based on the final task, the boardroom and their overall performance in the series.
Of making the final, Khan has said on her Instagram: "I grew up thinking I'd always have a corporate career. Coming from an academic background, it felt like the 'right' path. And I did it — but I realised what I really wanted was freedom, flexibility, and to build something of my own.
"One of my biggest life goals has always been to become a mother (iA). I don't have kids yet, but I think about them all the time. The reason I'm working so hard on my business now is because I want to create a life where I can be present for them. I want to be a rich, flexible mum who's built her own empire — not just for herself, but for her family too. My 20s are for planting the seeds, so I can reap the benefits later. That's the dream — and I'm chasing it every day."
Meanwhile, Franklin said on Instagram: "Wow!! Can finally say i have made it to the Final 2. What an emotional rollercoaster of a journey, you have seen me Laugh, cry, stumble on my words, make some pizzas, catwalk in a fish costume, make some bangin sauce, flog some scunchbums, make a easter log and mess up a kids banking app and you know what i wouldn't change any of it!!"
While Lord Sugar makes the decision on the final day of filming after the boardroom meeting, it is kept a secret from the rest of the production team and the finalists themselves. Not even his close aides Tim Campbell and Baroness Karren Brady know about the winner until it's coming up to transmission.
Instead two endings are filmed to ensure that the identity of the winner remains a secret until The Apprentice airs, according to BBC's website.
This year's finalists told Yahoo UK that they were informed of the decision on the day of filming You're Hired — that is a week before the finale airs.
The Apprentice line-up included a hair transplant consultant and a pizza company owner. (BBC)
Although BBC films two endings, Baronness Brady puts the show's success down to its authenticity.
She said at a press Q&A: "This show is great, and I hope you will forgive me for saying because, Alan, he's done it, he's been successful, he's honest, he's straight to the point, he's candid, he's unscripted and he's authentic.
"And I think people really like that. Lots of people have tried to recreate the show, do a business show, and have completely failed, and this show continues to go from strength to strength."
Former The Apprentice 2023 winner Marnie Swindells — who is Lord Sugar's business partner for Bronx Boxing Club — told Yahoo UK this year of filming two endings: "I don't know how much I can give away... But there is an element of surprise where we don't know [who has won] until a little bit later."
However, the businesswoman did share her feelings on finding out she was the winner after months of waiting. She elaborated: "I was absolutely adamant I would have put money on it that I hadn't won the show. When I found out I had, I was floored by it.
"I thought in the final boardroom that edit was quite kind to me but in reality, he gave me such a hard time and I thought I've really thrown it away at the last hurdle."
The 2024 finalist Phil Turner, who lost out to Rachel Woolford's gym business, revealed it was exciting waiting to find out who had won the process.
He said on Instagram stories last year: "We don't know who has won until you guys know. This is pretty common knowledge so I don't think I'm giving anything away here.
"So basically there's two endings filmed. Nobody knows. The only person who knows who has won is Lord Sugar. I assume they just put whoever's won on the end. We'll find out who's won pretty much at the same time as you guys, which is really exciting."
Also the 2022 finalist Kathryn Burn, who lost out on the £250,000 investment to Harpreet Kaur, revealed her own theory on why two endings are filmed.
She told The Sun last year: "I think he likes to go away and have a look at the business plans in detail so he's not being rushed... It's a lot of money to be investing in a business and he needs to make the right decision, so I don't think he does it that quickly."
The pyjamas guru said: "I knew I hadn't won a week before it was aired. But I was genuinely happy for Harpreet. It was weird not knowing whether I had won or not but even getting to the final felt like a win-win."
Yahoo UK has reached out to representatives for The Apprentice.
The Apprentice finishes at 9pm on Thursday on BBC One.