Jack Dee confirmed as new host of The Apprentice: You’re Fired

Jack Dee has been announced as the new host of You’re Fired, the companion show to The Apprentice.

Dee enjoys a special empathy with the candidates as he has been through the process himself, taking part in 2009’s Comic Relief Does The Apprentice.

The comedian made it into the final boardroom only to be beaten by Michelle Mone of the women’s team.

Dee said: “I’m very much looking forward to hosting You’re Fired and hope that the luckless candidates will see me as the friendly face at the end of a difficult time in their lives.”

Meanwhile, fellow comic Romesh Ranganathan is to take a regular place on the panel alongside the business experts and celebrities who appear each week to discuss the outgoing candidate’s performance.

Ranganathan said: “As a massive fan of The Apprentice, this is very exciting for me.

“I love You’re Fired and am looking forward to putting all the questions to the candidates that people at home want to see asked. I also have a number of business proposals of my own that I think Lord Sugar will be pretty interested in…”

Mark Linsey, Controller of Entertainment Commissioning, added: “It’s great news that we have someone of Jack’s comedy calibre as host of You’re Fired, and I’m really excited that he will be aided and abetted by the hugely talented Romesh.

“Jack will be brilliant at guiding us through the highlights of The Apprentice and as a super-fan of the series, Romesh will provide us with his own uniquely funny perspective.”

The Apprentice and You’re Fired return to the BBC later this year.