The first series of the UK version of The Apprentice, which aired on BBC2, was a ratings hit, outperforming the channel's prime time average by over 20 per cent. The final episode achieved an audience of 3.8 million viewers and a 16.6 per cent share, demonstrating a 100 per cent growth since launch and doubling the broadcaster's prime time average.

A second series has been commissioned in the UK and is scheduled to hit screens early next year. Sir Alan Sugar, one of Britain's most successful entrepreneurs, will take the helm once again and guide candidates as they vie for his approval and the knowledge that they can make it in the world of business. The candidates will carry out weekly assignments to test out their business acumen and entrepreneurial skills and each week, Sugar will fire one of them, leaving the rest to go on to another equally challenging task.

The one candidate who proves their worth and capability will secure a year-long job with one of his companies and a six figure salary. FremantleMedia has produced local versions of the show in 16 territories to date, with more deals in the pipeline. The Apprentice is produced in the UK by Talkback, one of FremantleMedia's UK production companies.

FLW will also be representing all ancillary rights to the talent show - The X Factor and will be rolling out a comprehensive licensing programme aimed at 16-34-year-olds to coincide with the launch of the show's second series on ITV later this month. FLW has already secured a raft of deals which will provide fans with even more innovative and exciting ways to interact with the show across multiples platforms.

The X Factor sees Simon Cowell, Sharon Osbourne and Louis Walsh compete to look for the next singing sensation. Open to all music star wannabes - solo artists aged 16-24, solo artists over 25 and groups - the hopefuls will be whittled down to 150 and divided into three categories.

Each category will be assigned one judge who will be faced with the task of shaping up their acts so that one of them emerges as the winner of TV's biggest talent search in UK history. The X Factor proved a massive ratings winner for ITV with over 10 million viewers (42.2 per cent share) tuning in to see Steve Brookstein walk away with a one million pound Sony BMG recording contract. The results show ranked No. 1 in its timeslot and in its target demo of young adults, was the highest rating show of the day across all channels.

Planet Cook continues to be a key priority for FLW and will be a major focus for Brand Licensing 2005. Licensees already on board include Heinz, Universal Pictures and Trudeau-Euromark and FLW will be looking to extend the brand further through publishing, gaming, gifting, attractions and food categories.

Planet Cook is a unique, live-action cookery adventure show for children where mealtime disappointments are a thing of the past. Set on a tropical island, each episode sees Captain Cook guide three young Cook Cadets as they create a meal against the clock. Each recipe is inspired by the natural world - from leaf-eating dinosaurs to volcanoes - which gives Captain Cook the inspiration to create delicious dishes like 'Erupting Volcano Surprise'. All recipes have been analysed by independent, qualified nutritionists to fit within the context of a balanced, healthy diet. Planet Cook already has a first class broadcast platform in the UK and a local version of the show is currently airing on German public broadcaster, ZDF. In addition, a tape deal has been struck with ABC in Australia for 52 episodes of the UK show.

FremantleMedia Licensing Worldwide CEO Simon Spalding said, "The Brand Licensing Show is a key market for FremantleMedia and we are really looking forward to sharing and discussing our ideas for these very exciting brands with the industry. We are confident that The Apprentice, The X Factor and Planet Cook will be just as successful off screen as they are on air."