Walsh feels sorry for 'Apprentice' stars

Former Apprentice star Kate Walsh has admitted that she sympathises with the show's latest finalists amid uncertainty surrounding the new series.

In November last year, the BBC announced that the programme's new run would be pushed back until the summer to prevent a clash with the forthcoming general election. The decision was made in an attempt to avoid undermining the corporation's political impartiality following Sir Alan Sugar's appointment to the House of Lords.

However, reports yesterday suggested that series six could face a further delay if the election result leaves a hung parliament.

Speaking on her magazine show Live From Studio Five last night, Walsh pointed out that the final two contestants will have been left in limbo following the completion of filming. Traditionally, two endings are shot and Sugar does not reveal which was the true outcome until the week that the final is aired.

Walsh commented: "The people I feel quite sorry for are the contestants who are taking part. You're going after a dream job and put your life on hold until you know what's happened. You might have given up a job, you might have moved house.

"You make big sacrifices to take part in it and not knowing when it's going to be aired, it's going to be quite tough for them really. It's filmed quite a way in advance so who knows how long these people are going to have to wait?"

Walsh lost out to Yasmina Siadatan in last year's Apprentice final.