The Apprentice

The Apprentice Ireland is an Irish version of the hugely sucessful Mark Burnett Productions reality television series, in which a group of 14 aspiring businessmen and women compete for the chance to win a job as "apprentice" to businessman Bill Cullen. The show began airing on TV3 on 22 September 2008, and finished on 8 December 2008, with Brenda Shanahan as the winner.

Series 2 aired on TV3 in 2009 with a huge increase in ratings and saw Steve Rayner become Bill Cullens latest apprentice.

The Apprentice is modelled on the American series of the same name, which stars entrepreneur Donald Trump, as well as the British series starring magnate Alan Sugar Bill Cullen's assistants in The Apprentice are his partner, and former model, Jackie Lavin and PR guru, Brian Purcell.

Watch out for The Apprentice Series 3 due on air in September 2010.