Claude Littner will return for two episodes of the seventeenth series of The Apprentice after recovering from injuries he sustained in a serious accident last year, it has been confirmed.
The businessman and TV personality, 73, who has been an advisor to Lord Alan Sugar on the hit BBC show since 2015, was absent from the most recent series after undergoing multiple surgeries after a serious bike accident.
A show insider told the PA news agency: “We were really pleased to have Claude back – he is a much-loved part of The Apprentice and Tim (Campbell) was a big hit with viewers last time so to have them both in the new series is a real treat.”
Littner had the accident in April 2021 while riding an electric bike, resulting in the former Tottenham Hotspur chief executive having to learn to walk again after injuring his right leg so badly that he has required multiple surgeries and doctors initially thought they may have to amputate.
Former Apprentice winner and entrepreneur Tim Campbell stepped in to replace him, joining Lord Sugar, 75, and Baroness Karren Brady in the boardroom for the show’s sixteenth series earlier this year.
Littner, who has been in good health, took over from Nick Hewer in 2015 as Lord Sugar’s aide, and has been a fan favourite for the interview rounds with candidates.
The new series of the reality show, which will air in early 2023, is set to feature 18 new candidates, all competing to win a life-changing investment of £250,000 from Lord Sugar.
The candidates will be thrown into the deep end as the series kicks off with a trip to Antigua, where they will be tasked with creating and selling excursions to tourists.
For those who make it past the first task, there will be a series of tough challenges to work through back in the UK, including creating cartoons, exploring the world of male beauty products, hosting immersive events and dabbling in the street food industry.
The PA news agency understands that Littner will feature in the first episode of the new series and during the interviews element of the show where candidates are grilled over their business plans.
Comedian and TV star Tom Allen also returns as the host of BBC Two’s The Apprentice: You’re Fired, airing after the main show.