The next series has already been postponed once because Lord Sugar sits in the House of Lords as the government's enterprise champion as the BBC agreed that screening The Apprentice would contravene strict rules about political bias in the run-up to the election.

But, if the election were to lead to a hung parliament, that would mean further delays. A source told the Sun: "The Apprentice lasts for three months so it will prove very hard to find a slot for it this year if there is a hung Parliament."

Delays seem also inevitable for the new Young Apprentice series, which was due to air this summer. Sources are saying that the candidates for this teenage version are exceptional, and that Lord Sugar has been really impressed at such youthful talent.

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