GET ready for the latest batch of super-confident young businessmen and women tonight when The Apprentice returns to our screens for a new series.

Good luck particularly to local contestants Michaela Wain from Heaton, who is the director of a construction company, and Charles Burns from Radcliffe who helps run a management consultancy, a watch trading company and a comparison website.

While it would be great if either or both did well in the series, I really hope they are able to stay true to themselves and perform as they would like to.

It must be very difficult being under that much pressure to shine and to meet Lord Sugar’s stringent standards – not to mention keeping on the right side of his trusted aides Karren Brady and Claude Littner.

While the former can be pretty sharp the latter can be downright terrifying, especially during the individual interview stage. Woe betide any of the 18 candidates whose claims sound just too good to be true – which tends to be everyone, unfortunately.