ITV ‘working on new show to rival The Apprentice’

ITV is said to be working on a new reality show to rival The Apprentice.

With The Apprentice not set to air this year, TV bosses think there is a gap in the market to launch a new series.

ITV are reportedly developing a format called ‘Easy Millions’, looking for entrepreneurs who want to launch the “next million-pound business”.

The Sun reports that ITV hope to film the series this summer and air it in the autumn.

“ITV has spotted a big gap in the telly market and is full steam ahead,” a source shared. “They want people to apply if they fancy themselves to be the sort of person who might have applied for The Apprentice and now haven’t got an outlet to show themselves off.

“All being well, they’ll have a decent line-up, get it filmed and be ready for the autumn or later in the year.”

It comes as this year’s season of the BBC One business competition is set to be postponed.

Filming for The Apprentice was halted earlier in 2020 due to the ongoing global health crisis.

Lord Sugar said that the series is likely to be cancelled for this year, returning in either the spring or autumn 2021.

Lord Sugar added: “The BBC has a selection of candidates ready to go from the last recruitment process in March. They will be called on once we have the green sign to start filming @bbcapprentice.”

If The Apprentice doesn’t make it to screens this year it’ll be the first time since 2005 without a series airing.