ITV launching 'Apprentice-style show'

ITV look set to launch an \'Apprentice\'-style show titled \'Easy Millions\'.

The upcoming reality show is expected to rival \'The Apprentice\' - which is fronted by Lord Alan Sugar - after the BBC One series was cancelled this year due to coronavirus.

An insider told The Sun newspaper\'s Bizarre TV Column: "ITV has spotted a big gap in the telly market and is full steam ahead.

"They want people to apply if they fancy themselves to be the sort of person who might have applied for \'The Apprentice\' and now haven\'t got an outlet to show themselves off."

And bosses are hoping to get the show filmed over the summer and have it on air by the autumn.

They added: "All being well, they\'ll have a decent line-up, get it filmed and be ready for the autumn or later in the year."

Filming for the 16th season of \'The Apprentice\' was due to start in April, with the show usually airing in the autumn, but the programme\'s production company Boundless put a stop to that as a result of the current world health crisis.

A BBC spokesman said at the time: "In light of the spread of COVID-19, after much consideration, Boundless, the producers of \'The Apprentice\', have postponed filming in consultation with and supported by the BBC.

"We will continue to review all productions on a case by case basis and will continue to follow the latest news and advice from the Foreign Office, World Health Organisation and Public Health England."

Lord Sugar has since suggested his reality show may air two series next year.

The 73-year-old businessman recently 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."