A professional wrestler, a beauty salon owner and a woman who calls herself 'the Blonde Assassin' are among the 16 competing in this year's series of The Apprentice. Lord Sugar, 64, is offering to become a partner and plough £250,000 of investment into the winning candidate's business idea. The eighth series of the hit BBC1 show kicks off next Wednesday, March 21, with the tycoon warning the wannabes in typically abrasive style: "Don't try and hide. We're not playing 'Where's Wally' here. "I'm not looking for Lord Lucan, I'm looking for somebody who is going to put themselves forward and show me that they have got the aggression and business acumen to be my partner." He tells them: "If I wanted a friend, I'd get a dog. I'm looking for a partner, the Marks to my Spencer, the Lennon to my McCartney." Nick Hewer and Karren Brady return as Lord Sugar's trusted advisors, whittling down the contestants as they perform a series of tasks over 12 weeks. The candidates include 26-year-old recruitment manager Ricky Martin, from Hampshire, who is a professional wrestler at weekends. Another contestant, Katie Wright, is a 26-year-old editorial and research director, who lives in London. The married Fulham football fan, who wishes she had been the brains behind Heinz baked beans, says: "I would call myself 'The Blonde Assassin'. I let people under-estimate me just so I can blow them out of the water." The series also features Jenna Whittingham, a 25-year-old beauty salon owner and Laura Hogg, a 28-year-old bridal shop owner and former ice skater who once skated with Torvill and Dean. In the first week the candidates are divided into two teams - boys versus girls - and are set the challenge of starting their own print business. Click here for photos of the contestants in this year's The Apprentice.
