The Apprentice's Claude Littner returns to show as fans stunned by savage gesture

Former aide was back on tonight as the final five candidates were grilled over their business plans. They came face-to-face with 's "trusted advisors" ahead of his finalists being announced.

The episode included the return of Claude, 75, who had been an aide to Lord Sugar, 78, on the show from 2015 to 2019. Since then, he has continued to appear as one of the interviewers who interrogate candidates before the final, having held that role since the show launched back in 2004.

Amber-Rose Badrudin, Anisa Khan, Chisola Chitambala, Dean Franklin and Jordan Dargan were sent through to the interviews stage by Lord Sugar following last week's . Each presented their business plans for inspection in tonight's episode as part of the final five in the hope of making it to the final of the competition.

They spoke to interviewers Claude, Linda Plant, Mike Soutar and Claudine Collins about their respective businesses that they are seeking investment in from Lord Sugar. It had been confirmed that the interviews would take place in the latest episode in a teaser at the end of last week's instalment.

Anisa was the first candidate to come face-to-face with Claude during the interviews stage. As she entered the room, she said: "Good morning, I'm Anisa." Whilst the candidate had her hand out as if to shake his hand, Claude pointed towards an empty chair, with her then apologising.

It didn't go unnoticed by viewers, who reacted to the scene on X tonight. One person wrote: "Claude didn't bother to shake her hand! That's mad!!" Another said: "Claude absolutely should have shuck Anisa's hand, manners cost nothing." Sharing their thoughts, one fan said: "So the interviewers can't shake the candidates hand? So stupid."

Someone else wrote: "Claude come on you can shake a hand." One viewer reacted: "Claude shake her hand, ya rude man." Another fan said: "Claude might be a more experienced and successful businessman - but rudely refusing to shake a candidate's hand like that is just embarrassing… respect goes two ways."

Claude first appeared on the Apprentice as one of the interviewers in the debut series in 2004. He's continued to appear in that role since then and, alongside it, was one of Lord Sugar's aides on the BBC show between 2015 and 2019.

He however by former winner , now 47, when the show returned in 2022. Tim has remained as an aide alongside , 56, since then. Claude has however continued in his role as an interviewer.

Claude initially stepped back from being an aide following a "freak accident" on an electric bike that's said to have led to him having surgeries. He once told the Press Association: "I must have been doing no more than 10 kilometres an hour." He further commented on the incident: "The next thing I knew, I was on the left-hand side of the street, my bike was in the middle of the road and I didn't know what happened."

Following the incident, he's said to have been taken to St Mary's Hospital in for treatment. He has shared previously that this included "a very long operation" and it's been suggested that he had eight subsequent procedures.

in 2023, he said on : "I'm doing absolutely wonderfully well [and] very grateful to the ambulance crew who looked after me and of course [everyone] at St Mary's who put me back together."

Last year, whilst responding to a fan on X, Claude praised Tim and said he "readily" stepped in as his replacement when needed. He added that he would "happily return" to the role but would not want to "disrupt the status quo".

Claude wrote in the post: "Tim is a really good guy. He readily stepped in after my cycling accident and has done well. I would happily return, but I do not feel it appropriate to disrupt the status quo. Thanks for your support."

The Apprentice's latest series concludes next Thursday with its final from 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The episode will be followed by companion show You're Fired, which will be broadcast from 10pm that night.

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