The Apprentice candidates more driven

Karren Brady says this year's 'The Apprentice' will attract more "driven" contestants.

In the new series the winner will receive £250,000 from Lord Alan Sugar to set up a new business with him and viewers are told to expect more experienced individuals who aren't as sales-driven as previous hopefuls.

Karren, Alan's assistant on the show, said: "I think somebody who wants to own their own business has a different sort of personality to somebody who wants to work in somebody else's business.

"I think that you'll find that they're far more driven individuals that have invented things, have run their own businesses and have managed businesses."

The businesswoman went on to describe how the show will differ from previous series, with the tasks particularly focussing on making money from scratch.

She continued to Digital Spy: "The tasks will be all geared to starting up a business, setting up a business, coming up with an idea for a business. It's going to have a really different feel about it, because it's going to be focused much more on how you make money out of an idea."

The 41-year-old executive also talked of the upcoming 'Junior Apprentice', saying she's confident the show will continue to get high ratings despite other reality TV shows such as 'The X Factor' airing.

She said: "Obviously, they'll be on different nights... when you're staying at home to watch TV, I think you get used to a pattern of sitting down as a family to watch and you enjoy it.

That's why 'The X Factor' is so popular and that's why 'The Apprentice' is so popular, really. Being the junior one, it is really great family viewing."

In previous seasons of 'The Apprentice', candidates have competed for a job within one of Alan's companies.