Thomas Skinner breaks down in tears upon returning to The Celebrity Apprentice boardroom, six years after his BBC debut on the show.
The 34-year-old entrepreneur, who previously appeared on the regular series in 2019, could hardly hold back emotions as he rejoined Lord Sugar for the festive Children In Need editions.
He told filming crews, “I don’t often get upset, but this show changed my life long ago—I’m back here now.” Baroness Karren Brady noticed his teary eyes and asked if he was crying.
During this week’s BBC coverage, Lord Sugar joked that Skinner is one of the few candidates he might get to fire twice, expressing delight at his comeback.
Skinner reflected on how drastically his life has transformed since that first boardroom appearance. He admitted he had little then, before becoming a father and growing his businesses.
“Back then I didn’t have much,” he told MailOnline. “This show put me on the map, opened doors, and helped me build what I have today.”
Taking part in the Children In Need charity episodes felt like a genuine honor for the former contestant.
Skinner said he never expected to feel so emotional about returning to the program.
“No, never in a million years,” he said. “But being there brought back memories of that first boardroom moment in 2019.”
The recent The Celebrity Apprentice entrant, who also competed on Strictly Come Dancing this year and was the first celebrity eliminated, described the experience as a catalyst for deep personal reflection.
Since his original appearance, Skinner has become a father and further expanded his business ventures, underscoring how the boardroom moment changed his life in unforeseeable ways.
He stressed that he had no expectation of special treatment from his co-contestants or Lord Sugar, maintaining his grounded outlook.
“I’m a market trader,” he said. “I sell things from the back of my van. I’ll just go to work.”
Skinner also spoke warmly about his celebrity teammates, including presenter Angela Scanlon, JLS’s JB Gill, actress Sarah Hadland, Matt Morsia, and Shazia Mirza, saying it was a privilege to work with such respected figures.
“I admired these legends,” he added. “I was lucky to be there.”
The Celebrity Apprentice is slated to air on BBC One and iPlayer on December 29 and 30 at 9 p.m.
