Sugar 'can't guess Apprentice winners'

Lord Sugar has revealed that he cannot guess who is going to win The Apprentice.

Speaking at the launch of the new series, Sugar explained that the candidates change over the course of the programme.

"You can actually feel about some people that they've got no chance whatsoever," he said. "And you watch them change and learn as time goes by. And that's the beauty of the process.

"I think it's a lesson for us all to learn - first impressions really should not be the last impression. I think all people employing people in life would like the opportunity of having 12 cracks of the whip, of seeing someone in practice. It does happen - people you think are absolute no-hopers end up getting right the way through."

He added: "And some that you feel in a very early stage are bright as a button and are shining winners - when they're given different types of tasks, simple things just fall away. It is quite an amazing thing. So no, I don't know who the winners are from instinct at the very beginning."

The Apprentice returns for a new series on Wednesday, October 6 at 9pm on BBC One.