Former Love Island host Laura Whitmore, 39, has reportedly pulled out of the BBC’s Celebrity Apprentice special just days before filming was due to start, causing a major headache for the production team.
The special was set to celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Apprentice, featuring a host of celebrities taking on business challenges under the watchful eye of Lord Alan Sugar.
Last week, it was revealed that Angela Scanlon from The One Show and Virgin Radio, along with pillow and bed salesman Tom Skinner, who appeared on the show in 2019, had joined the line-up.
However, Irish TV star Laura won’t be part of the cast. It’s been suggested that Laura upset BBC bosses by withdrawing from the star-studded version of the long-running show at short notice – allegedly leaving TV execs “in an awkward position”.
A TV insider told MailOnline: “Laura infuriated BBC bosses by pulling out of the Celebrity Apprentice special. Of course, there can be a lot of last-minute changes in television, but it was just days before filming started and the team were very much left in the lurch. The dates did not work for Laura and so she backed out, but many were left in an awkward position by her decision.”
OK! has reached out to the BBC and Laura’s representatives for comment on this story.
The festive cheer is set to soar as the Christmas Special gears up with some familiar faces reportedly joining the tinsel-clad line-up.
Former EastEnders actor Jake Wood and Rob Rinder are rumoured to be some of the names in the star-studded line-up, reports the Mirror.
The special marks the first celebrity edition in six years and aims to honour the show’s significant anniversary. According to reports, the group of 10 celebrities are set to ascend to the wintery wonders of Lapland in Finland, where they’ll lend a hand to Santa and his elves in crafting a Christmas bestseller.
A source has spilled that Lord Sugar will be whisking them away to get a briefing straight from Santa Claus, promising the show’s iconic hiring and firing that fans adore, all in the spirit of charity.
While the grand airing is still kept under wraps, Lord Sugar cheekily commented on the casting, he said: “There has been talk of it. They’re quite fun, we all do it for charity. I’m quite open about who gets to take part, as long as the production team don’t choose Boris Johnson.”
The charity special is due to light up our screens later this year.
The last special in 2019 saw comics Omid Djalili and Russell Kane, interior designer Kelly Hoppen and EastEnder Tameka Empson take part. The girls’ team won the 48-hour challenge to run a cabaret night, thanks to Loose Women’s Ayda Field who enlisted her husband Robbie Williams.