Eddie Kadi and Shazia Mirza taking part in Christmas specials

Comics Eddie Kadi and Shazia Mirza are to take part in a Celebrity version of The Apprentice this Christmas.

They are among the 12 famous names taking part in a two-part special for Children In Need with a festive theme. 

The others are  are AJ Odudu, Angela Scanlon, Charlie Hedges, Jake Wood, JB Gill, Kadeena Cox, Matt Morsia, Rob Rinder, Sarah Hadlan, and Tom Skinner

It is only the fifth time Lord Sugar has put celebrities through their paces on the show, with versions in aid of Comic and Sport Relief in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2019.

The celebrities were split into two teams, challenged to travel to Lapland and develop their own gingerbread biscuits as well as creating  an advert and a jingle. And for the first time, the results will be on widespread sale in the UK.

Lord Sugar said: ‘It’s added some real pressure to the process. I think the celebs thought they were in for an easy ride, but they were wrong. Raising money for BBC Children in Need is serious business, so the candidates really need to deliver if they want to avoid ending up on my naughty list.’

And Paul Broadbent, of programme-makers Naked said: ‘These special episodes bridge the gap between entertainment and real-world impact. It is a rare opportunity for audiences to buy, taste and enjoy something they’ve watched being created on screen and it has been great fun seeing the celebs’ ideas come to life, all in aid of a fantastic charity.’

Team one, featuring Odudu, Hedges, Kadi, Woods, Cox and Rinder, created the biscuit Jolly McTrouble, a gingerbread biscuit with butter toffee, vanilla and Christmas pudding flavoured festive icing. With the tagline ‘Be naughty, get nice’ the biscuit is in the shape of Santa’s naughty brother, Jolly McTrouble. 

Opposite them, Scanlon, Gill, Morsia, Hadland, Mirza and Skinner created Gary the Penguin, which features the odd combination of gingerbread with lemon, bubble-gum and white pepper. With the tagline ‘A cheeky treat for your little rebel’, the biscuit is in the shape of a penguin called Gary.

Both biscuits will be available to purchase from November 14 in stores and websites including Asda, Tesco, Boots, Debenhams, One Stop, Ocado and Amazons.

The Celebrity Apprentice: Christmas Specials will air later this year as two hour-long programmes on BBC One and iPlayer.

Published: 5 Nov 2025