The Apprentice could air 2 series next year

Lord Alan Sugar has suggested \'The Apprentice\' could air two series next year.

The 73-year-old businessman has high hopes for the show after this year\'s series was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, and has revealed the BBC may screen two seasons in 2021 if they are unable to film later this year.

Speaking to MailOnline, he said: "That\'s one of the things we\'re considering, to have two series air in one year. It will be a big challenge to do but it\'s possible.

"The production company already has a group of candidates that were ready to be in this next series and those candidates have been told to standby and see what happens. It is quite obvious when you think about it, the filming normally starts in the spring, late spring and of course we don\'t see that the crisis will be over anywhere near that."

The contestants have to compete in a series of business-related challenges set by Lord Sugar, which sees them travel and interact with third-party groups, which would break the social distancing rules set by the government.

Lord Sugar added: "Part of the \'Apprentice\' process is travelling abroad, to go into factories and kitchens and make things and get the assistance of third-party companies to allow us in their premises so obviously that\'s not possible - and until that is possible, we can\'t film the show."

However, the billionaire remains optimistic the latest series will be able to film in the summer after the pandemic is over, ready to be aired on television screens early next year.

He explained: "We hope that if things calm down by July we might be able to start filming in September, in which case the show will be on early next year. But if that\'s not possible then it looks like we\'re going to skip a whole year.

"It\'s a shame but it\'s understandable, there\'s nothing we can do. It\'s not the death of the programme. The programme will proceed."