"there is a lot of filming and only so much can make the edit."
As The Apprentice prepares to return, 2022 winner Harpreet Kaur has opened up on some of the show’s best-kept secrets.
Harpreet revealed what it was like living with 15 strangers, including who does the cooking.
She also spoke about her professional relationship with Sir Alan Sugar and what really happens in the boardroom when the cameras stop rolling.
Explaining that filming each task takes up to “three to four full days”, Harpreet said:
“Filming is super intense, it’s something I didn’t anticipate at all.
“The task takes three to four full days to film.
“You’re constantly wired from 4 am to 12 at night, everyone is really tired.
“It’s an amazing production, I couldn’t believe it as I’ve never been in TV before.
“I was gobsmacked at how much work it takes to put the show together, there is a lot of filming and only so much can make the edit.”
The opening episode of the 2023 series will see candidates in Antigua to sell and run bespoke tours.
Ahead of the first episode, Harpreet Kaur said that the new format will increase the pressure on the candidates.
She said: “Antigua – It’s really cool, I think it puts the candidates even more out of their comfort zone.
“You’re catching that long-haul flight – I don’t think they would have that much time to enjoy Antigua because the tasks and filming are long and intense, so I think the heat would add even more pressure.”
The show sees candidates rush to get ready before tasks and Harpreet revealed that this is actually the case.
Stating that candidates have less than half an hour to get ready, Harpreet said:
“Honestly I don’t know how we did it, I wish I could get ready that quickly now. I think when you’re forced to do something, you can make it happen.
“We used to just use loads of little tricks, like line-up your makeup brushes, pre-select your outfits for the three/four days.
“Genuinely we just had those 20 minutes at 4 am, which looking back we managed to pull it together.”
“I don’t think I could do it now. But all of these extra factors – the cameras, the high heels all day, having to get ready in 20 minutes – all of that intensity for me was just noise, I just cancelled it out.
“But my laser focus was on the task, when it’s time to wind down at night you realise how exhausted you are and actually your feet really hurt.”
Speaking about the boardroom, the businesswoman said:
“There are no breaks in the boardroom unless you lose and you get to go to the café.
“It is a long day of filming even in the boardroom, that’s why you want to win a task because then you can get out of there.
“But luckily I was hardly in the losing team, I didn’t often feel that intensity of having to fight for yourself until later on in the show.
“For me, I genuinely looked forward to the boardroom as I went on the show to meet Lord Sugar and tell him about my business, so why wouldn’t I want to sit around that table with him.”
Harpreet admitted that she loved switching off after a task with her fellow co-stars, insisting there was no bad blood in the house.
She told The Sun: “It’s not an easy process and it can get really intense but in our year we had a really good friendship.
“We all respect each other and are there for your own goal.
“You leave whatever happens in the boardroom and when that task is done, you are so relieved and just move on.
“I really enjoyed living with everyone and got on with everyone.”
Inside the house, there was little time for romance.
After the show aired, Harpreet revealed that she was dating her co-star Akshay Thakrar. Opening up about the relationship, she said:
“Me and Akshay started dating after filming and after the show aired on TV.
“It’s crazy as it just proves that anything can happen really, I was really focused in the house on the end goal so I didn’t see anything apart from that. But we’re doing really well.
“He’s even given me a few ideas and he’s been really supportive.”
“I’m having a relationship with someone who has been through the same experience as me and who is also very business minded, we just bounce off each other – I think we’re a good duo.”
Harpreet Kaur also explained how the candidates get their food after filming.
“On the show, we are not allowed access to your phone and not allowed anywhere without a chaperone and with the food on task days you had catering.
“You get fed breakfast, lunch and dinner – I’m not going to lie, it wasn’t the best catering, usually a cold quiche. And then on days off, you would have to cook for yourself.
“Someone would order in for us, you’d tell them what you want to cook a meal and if anyone is around you’d ask if they want this as well.
“So even if you want to cook a quick lunch for yourself, you’d end up having to feed the whole house, I didn’t mind as I like cooking anyway.
“If it was a boardroom day, we’d be allowed a takeaway in the evening, but we’d all order from the same place.”
Ahead of the new series, Harpreet Kaur shared her tips for success.
“There is a lot of pressure, if you were given that task on a normal day it would be tricky but you’ve got cameras on you.
“The biggest tip I would give is just be yourself, approach the task in hand and present the best version of yourself. Forget about the competition for a minute.”
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