The Apprentice? Looks more like Love Island

WEARING skimpy swimwear and showing off their bodies, this set of glamorous wannabes look like they should be heading for the Love Island villa.

But in fact they are the latest crop of Apprentice candidates preparing to battle to become Lord Sugar’s latest business partner.

The BBC One show, which traditionally saw some of the brightest businessmen and women in the country take part in various challenges, is now filled with twentysomethings desperate for fame – and social media followers.

The 16 contestants, many of whom flaunt photos of their jet-setting lives and toned figures online, appear significantly different to those in previous series, who tended to wear ill-fitting suits and focus more on the tasks than their appearance.

Candidate Sian Gabbidon, who describes herself in the first episode as ‘the Beyonce of business’, shares images of herself in bikinis and revealing outfits with her 10,000 social media followers. Like many Love Island contestants, the Leeds-based swimwear designer, 25, fills her online profile with pictures of gym sessions, designer handbags and flashy cars.

Meanwhile, former glamour model Sarah Byrne, 29, frequently uploads photos of herself in sexy outfits. The mother-of-one also appears to have had cosmetic surgery on her lips.

But it is not just the female contestants who seem to be chasing ‘likes’ on Instagram. Several of the men in this year’s line-up share topless pictures of themselves online, with 22-year-old Kurran Pooni – who hopes to be an actor – saying in the first episode: ‘The other guys are going to say “Damn that guy looks good.”’

Lord Sugar’s adviser Claude Littner hit back at the suggestion this year’s contestants are more suited to Love Island, saying: ‘I just think they want to look professional, glamorous and I think there’s nothing wrong with that.’

The Apprentice returns next Wednesday at 9pm.