I really wanted to get fired!

A HOST of famous faces are about to step into The Apprentice boardroom for BBC1's The Celebrity Apprentice.

- BY YOLANTHE FAWEHINMI

The show sees a star-studded lineup of candidates put through their paces for Children in Need, as Lord Alan Sugar calls upon Santa Claus and his trusted aides, Baroness Karren Brady and Mike Soutar, filling in for Tim Campbell, to keep a watchful eye.

The celebrities taking part are Big Brother host AJ Odudu, The One Show presenter Angela Scanlon, Radio 1 DJ Charlie Hedges, comedian Eddie Kadi, East-Enders star Jake Wood, JLS singer JB Gill, paralympic athlete Kadeena Cox, Gladiators' Legend Matt Morsia, barrister and TV presenter Rob Rinder, Miranda star Sarah Hadland, comedian Shazia Mirza and former The Apprentice star and Strictly Come Dancing contestant Tom Skinner.

Over a two-part Christmas special, the candidates will be split into two groups and spend some time in Lapland, the mythical home of Santa Claus, to develop their own biscuits.

But their challenge doesn’t stop there. They will also need to develop their own marketing plan, including an advert and a jingle, and pitch to retailers to secure sales.

Unlike the usual Apprentice tasks, where products never see the light of day, the biscuits will be sold in real UK supermarkets to raise money for children and young people across the country in need.

"It felt like such a no-brainer," says AJ, 37. "It's an iconic show and the idea of stepping into that world, while raising money for such a brilliant cause, was just too good to pass up.

"I love a challenge and this felt like a fun way to throw myself into something completely different while making a real difference.