EXCLUSIVE: Conversations are taking place between the BBC and The Apprentice producer Naked over whether an Apprentice contestant who posted offensive tweets will appear on the Unfinished Business spin-off show.
Levi Hodgetts-Hague‘s Apprentice scenes have all been filmed but Unfinished Business, which has just been rebranded from You’re Fired, airs week by week, as each of the contestants who are fired by host Alan Sugar are interviewed after the main show ends.
Deadline is told that conversations have been taking place this morning with The Apprentice production team and the BBC over whether Hodgetts-Hague should appear in the Unfinished Business show, and we understand these discussions are ongoing.
The Sun on Sunday reported over the weekend that Hodgetts-Hague posted tweets more than a decade ago that referred to Muslims as being “dirty” and women as “slags,” amongst other offensive remarks. Deadline hasn’t verified these now-deleted tweets but The Sun on Sunday posted a number of screenshots and Hodgetts-Hague has acknowledged their existence and apologized.
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The BBC has demanded that Fremantle-owned indie Naked “fully review the social media checks undertaken given the process has clearly failed in this instance.” We understand this demand was made immediately after the BBC was informed of the tweets on Friday.
Naked said its “rigorous” third party checks of contestants’ social media “failed to flag the offensive posts, therefore we will be reviewing this process moving forward.” “Levi’s historical posts contain language which is unacceptable and Levi has been spoken to about this behaviour,” said a spokeswoman for Naked. “He has apologised and insists that these posts do not reflect the man he is now.”
Hodgetts-Hague said he “takes full accountability for the publishing of those posts.” “They are not a reflection of the values I uphold today,” he added. “I would like to apologise for my actions, as well as to the production team for failing to bring this account to their attention.” He said he joined the RAF shortly after the 2013 posts “in an effort to make something of myself,” adding, “It was my time here that played a significant role in my personal growth.”
Previous experience
The BBC and Naked have previous experience of this kind of decision-making when it comes to The Apprentice and its companion show.
In 2024, the corporation bowed to a torrent of pressure from Jewish staffers and groups by cutting scenes from You’re Fired of a contestant, Dr Asif Munaf, who had posted on social media that Zionists are a “godless satanic cult” and referenced the “trial of the zionist antichrist.” Munaf was struck off the UK medical register several days ago after a tribunal reached the verdict he had posted antisemitic, racist and sexist posts on social media.
The Apprentice launches its 20th season in 10 days’ time. The UK version of the hit American series helmed once upon a time by Donald Trump is one of the BBC’s biggest hits, has kept a remarkably consistent rating over the decades and just greenlit its first full celebrity version. Hodgetts-Hague is one of 20 candidates competing for £250,000 ($330,000) and the chance to go into business with Sugar.
Hosted by Angela Scanlon, Unfinished Business launches immediately after the first episode of The Apprentice. The companion show used to be called You’re Fired and has been airing since 2006. Unfinished Business will air an audio version on BBC Sounds in a similar vein to The Traitors: Uncloaked