Format
Each episode begins with host Dara Ó Briain entering, sitting at a table and addressing the camera, where he explains the content of the upcoming programme and shows a video clip of the highlights. The previous host, Adrian Chiles, would address the camera from the audience at the beginning, but this was dispensed with early into O'Briain's tenure. He then goes on to introduce the guests. Although there is some variation, the panel is typically composed of a journalist, a businessperson, and a comedian. Sometimes Lord Sugar's aides Nick Hewer and Karren Brady (and formerly Margaret Mountford) are present. A video of the moment that the candidate is fired is then shown, and that person is introduced onto the stage. An interview then takes place between O'Briain and the candidate, with the celebrity guests airing their views in between "never before seen" footage. Often, the family of the fired candidate are also interviewed and Lord Sugar reveals why that person had to leave.
In the final episode of each series, Lord Sugar appears alongside the winning candidate.
In the fourth, fifth, and eighth series, and Young Apprentice a regular feature was introduced called "The One That Got Away", recapping the contribution of a candidate who appeared to be a likely prospect for firing that week, but who survived into the next round.
In the fifth series, a feature called "Quote of The Week" was introduced, which recapped the best quote from that week's show.
The evicted contestant, Dara Ó Briain and the celebrity guests then discuss their favourite moments from the night's show, and also who impressed them and why. At the end, the guests are asked whether they agree with Lord Sugar's decision, and the studio audience are asked to vote on whether the candidate should have been fired, by holding up the appropriate card (a red "FIRED!" card or a green "HIRED" card). The evicted candidate is shown their "best bits" — montages of video clips that reflects their time in the competition. This is usually accompanied by a popular music track, in the style of Big Brother Live Eviction, with the contestant's reaction to the clips shown in an inset. O'Briain then often presents the fired candidate with a parting gift, which is something appropriate to one of the candidate's memorable moments on the show. A preview of next week's episode is then shown before the end credits. Often, O'Briain also announces that the fired candidate will appear on BBC Breakfast the next morning.
During the 2009 and 2010 series, a longer edit of the show was used for the late-night repeat, though unlike other programmes with extended versions (such as QI and Have I Got News for You) the longer versions were not explicitly promoted as such and did not appear on iPlayer. As of 2011, late-night repeats of the show have been discontinued.
No episodes of The Apprentice: You're Fired! were made to accompany Young (Formerly Junior) Apprentice.
Read more about this topic: The Apprentice: You're Fired!