Chorley man Rick Monk to star in the latest series of The Apprentice

Rick Monk, 33, from Chorley, is one of the 16 candidates on this year's show, which airs next Wednesday at 9pm.

Rick, whose day job is as a quality controller, says one of his best qualities is his "confidence and assertiveness" and that being able to separate business from pleasure means he is good at getting the best from others.

He believes befriending all the contestants will set him in good stead but warns he is a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and will use this to his advantage.

He says: "I won't pussyfoot and waste time, as time is of the essence in everything.

"People will have to like it or lump it."

Camilla Ainsworth from Blackburn is also appearing on the show.

The 22-year-old says she is an adrenaline junkie and loves to try anything new and exciting. She believes her people skills are her biggest strength, although feels her openness and willingness to overshare can sometimes work against her.

"I'm a bundle of energy and creativity and certainly a one off... ain't no Vanilla Camilla," she said.

This year, the award-winning series will be "bigger and better than ever", as Lord Sugar ups the ante right from the start and warns the candidates to "expect the unexpected”.

For his first challenge, Lord Sugar sends the candidates abroad - with a strong word of warning ringing in their ears; “Remember, this is NOT a holiday”.

Straight from the first boardroom, the business hopefuls jet off to Malta tasked with buying nine items at the lowest possible prices.