Can The Apprentice candidates use mobile phones or the internet on tasks? Here’s all you need to know!
Despite being regularly seen with smartphones in hand it appears as though contestants on the BBC One series don’t get much use out of them.
According to past candidates, the phones they’re provided with have been locked down so they can only be used to phone their teammates.
They can’t use the internet or even calculator apps to help them with sums.
2018 candidate Jackie Fast previously revealed to the Daily Express newspaper: “In all fairness I found it challenging not having a calculator. It’s such a stupid thing but you get really used to using your phone for loads of things including spellcheck. I mean they’re dumbing us down obviously.
“But with things of that nature, not having the calculator and internet and having it stripped down and having to rely on your actual knowledge is hard.”
A spokesperson for the show previously said that although candidates are provided with phones for the tasks, they are not able to access the internet on them – unless it’s required by the challenge.
The Apprentice spokesperson explained: “Candidates do not have access to the internet on their mobile devices unless it is required by the task (for example, if they are launching a website). The tasks set by Lord Sugar are there to challenge the candidates to exhibit the skills needed to set up and run a business.
“By limiting access to the internet and mobile phones, Lord Sugar is able to clearly assess candidates’ intelligence and practical skills, while also keeping the process fair.”
The official comment was made to The Sun newspaper in response to an interview with former candidate Daniel Lassman in 2017.
The Series 10 contestant, who made it to the interview stages, confidently declared: “If I had my phone on me, not being arrogant, but I’d get the tasks done very quickly.”
Daniel said the restriction was “stupid” and not like the “real world”.
He told the newspaper: “Running around London with a map makes much better viewing then me saying, ‘Let me just Google this’. How stupid do we look running round with a map?
“I’ve got so many business connections but you’re not allowed to speak to anyone you know. It’s stupid because the business world is full of contacts and that’s the reason we get on in the real world.”
The Apprentice 2022 currently airs Thursday nights on BBC One.
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