Alan Sugar’s sidekicks on The Apprentice will quit the show when he retires.
Karren Brady and Claude Littner have warned producers they won’t continue without their old pal.
Revealing their pact, Karren said: “When Lord Sugar goes there will be three vacancies. Me and Claude would definitely go. We come as a pack. We’re a set.”
Lord Sugar, 72, has said he could walk away from television within five years.
Karren, Baroness Brady, has been by his side in the boardroom for a decade. She said: “The show works really well because we would never consider ourselves to be television personalities and everything that comes with that, like egos. We are there because of our business experience.
“We’ve all known each other a long time and go on holiday together. So I will go when Lord Sugar goes. Claude will say the same.”
Working on The Apprentice means a gruelling schedule for Karren, 50, and Claude, 70.
A series runs for three months but we can reveal that filming of the tasks facing the contestants is squeezed into just five weeks.
Karren said: “It’s an exhausting show to work on. Days start at 4am and we don’t finish until 10pm. And the tasks are filmed back to back.
“When the winning team go off for their treat at the end of a task, me and Claude stay with the losing team until someone is fired. That happens at about 10pm. And then we start at 4am the next morning for the next task.”
While making the new series, Karren had to work on her 50th birthday and Claude on his 70th.
For one task they flew to South Africa. Karren said: “We flew back from Cape Town and had to go straight to the board room for filming.
“So you’ve got jet lag, the time difference and you’ve been on your feet for hours. All you want is a glass of wine and an early night.
“We have been to some incredible places but it is a hard-working show. You have to keep your wits about you. You almost have to clear out everything from your diary.
“If you have one night out you are done for the rest of the week.”
Karren’s husband, the former footballer Paul Peschisolido, goes abroad while she is filming.
She said: “He goes to Canada for a month when we’re making the series to see his parents.
“I have to get up at 3am but of course he doesn’t. And if I finish filming early I just go straight to bed – you’re good for nothing.”
Producers have had to scale back the treats given to the winning teams.
Years ago they were big-budget experiences but on the upcoming series the first reward is a bottle of champagne.
Karren said: “That has happened because they’re all knackered.
“The treat they really want is an early night. What they really like is drink and food.”
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