'The Apprentice' star Lord Alan Sugar defends the show in wake of aftercare debate

Lord Alan Sugar has defended The Apprentice’s aftercare process in wake of the recent debate about how reality shows treat their contestants before, during and after the programme.

The debate was sparked by the deaths of Love Island stars Mike Thalassitis and Sophie Gradon, who tragically took their own lives after appearing on the show. The Jeremy Kyle Show has since been suspended after one of its guests also took their own life shortly after filming.

Now, Sugar has made assurances about The Apprentice’s aftercare process.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, he said: "There is a recruitment process, we get thousands of people who want to come and join the show.

Read more: Jeremy Kyle Show suspended after guest dies shortly after filming

"We then hone in on the 25 or 30 people. Before we tell them they can come on the show, they have to see a psychiatrist and they have to talk about their past life and whether they can take the stress and the strain and all that.

"At the BBC, and I'm sure that ITV are the same, they have a duty of care to make sure that no-one enters the process if there's any chance of it causing them any trauma."

Co-host Piers Morgan insisted that the contestants voluntarily go on television and are fully aware of the risks.

Sugar added that The Apprentice’s aftercare programme is an ongoing process, and that they have a ‘house team’ who look after the candidates the entire time.

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"It's an ongoing process, and we have people who are looking after the candidates all the time,” he said. “We have what is known as a house team and they're keeping their eyes on people all the time.

"They get colds, they get sniffles, they get headaches and we're looking after them all the time. ITV do exactly the same."