You’re fired, Lord Sugar

Series 17 of The Apprentice (BBC iplayer) drew to a close last week, not so much with a bang as a gentle sigh of relief all round. I can’t help feeling that, while great in its day, it’s time Lord Sugar’s (above) worn-out format was put out to pasture, alongside other similarly threadbare shows such as Masterchef and Bake Off (although maybe the appointment of Alison Hammond as the new Bake Off co-host will inject some jam into that slightly stale doughnut). Then again, you look at the likes of Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr and slightly despair. Is the whole challenge show rollercoaster finally grinding to a shuddering halt?