Karren Brady, 56, reveals her filter-free complexion and dramatic weight loss after denying using Ozempic as The Apprentice returns for 20th series

Baroness Karren Brady showcased her dramatic weight less and ditched the Instagram filters, as she returned to our screens in the premiere episode of the latest series of The Apprentice.

The popular BBC show returned to screens for its 20th series on Thursday, with a whole new cohort of candidates vying for the chance to become Lord Sugar's business partner.

But, advisor Karren's weight loss commanded almost as much attention as the chaotic actions of the contestants, as they kickstarted the process in Hong Kong.

The businesswoman, 56, showed off her tiny waistline in a lace white dress as she followed the teams around, and dramatically different looking face.

The House of Lords member recently denied that her dramatic body transformation was the result of weight loss jabs, insisting that it was achieved the old fashioned way - through a controlled diet and regular exercise. 

Last week, she addressed the speculation surrounding her weight loss in an interview with The Sun, claiming that asking questions about how she'd shed the pounds was an effort to 'belittle' her or 'make her feel insecure'.

'I’m not on Ozempic, but questions about women’s weight come up far more often than they should,' she said. 'I’d much prefer the conversation to be focused around my work.'

Karren went on: 'Anyone can do anything they want to their own body. I have no problem with it at all. But people think they know something they don’t know, or they just presume.

'And so what if I was? And what if I wasn’t? It would be my choice. I think the way people talk about women’s bodies is certainly an effort to belittle them or make them feel insecure.

'I’ve been called too fat, too thin and everything in between. I’ve had a lifetime of it. All I want is to feel strong, physically and mentally.'

She previously admitted to losing as much as five kilograms before every Apprentice launch, 'so I look my normal weight and I don’t look huge next to Alan [Sugar] as he’s so fit and healthy.' 

But Karren, who is the vice chairman of West Ham United, says Lord Sugar has been something of a health kick buddy.

'He is great, he is very fit. He and my husband cycle when we go away on holiday. He is super fit himself, so if anyone is giving tips, it is him to me.

'We went around Italy, which was lovely, on Lord Sugar's boat. It was incredible. He is really lovely and has a wonderful family.' 

A regular gym-goer, the mother-of-two insists she's worked hard to incorporate frequent exercise into her hectic lifestyle.

'You have to find the time to go, particularly as you get older,' she said. 'I have a very set routine that I do, but it’s mainly cardiovascular and weights, and I don’t mind the odd swim.

'I go three or four times a week. I never have set days, because I’ve got a full-time job, then I have to go to the House of Lords often to vote, so I fit it in where I can.' 

The businesswoman recently revealed that her recent weight loss was triggered by becoming a grandmother, after her daughter, Sophia Peschisolido welcomed sons, Leo, 22 months, and George, four months.

Karren said: 'I have been on a health kick, I became a grandma, and I wanted to be a fit, healthy grandma, so I started eating healthy and exercising.

'I haven't joined [the Ozempic Club] - bloody hard work. It is okay losing it, it is keeping it off.

'I have lost quite a bit - I don't know, though, as I don't weigh myself. I feel better for it. It is good because everything you put on fits.'

The premiere episode of the latest series of The Apprentice began with the 20 hopefuls being tasked with trying to find and buy nine items for the lowest price possible in Hong Kong.

As usual, they were split into two teams, with the boys managing to come out on top after the girls only managed to bring back a measly two items from the list, with half of the team being nearly two hours late in crossing the finish line.

A distinctly unimpressed Lord Sugar showed his displeasure by firing two candidates at once, with project manager Nikki Jetha and Georgina Newton both getting the boot from the competition.

Both women insisted they shouldn't have been the ones to be sacked, with mortgage broker Nikki saying: 'No, definitely not. I was brave enough to stand up and take on a challenge during the first task. 

'I did the best I could do under the pressure, with limited information, and I'd rather be fired for stepping up than staying safe in the background. There’s a saying that ships are safest in the harbour, but that's not what they're built for.'

While events manager Georgina also declared she didn't deserve to be let go, saying: 'No, I didn't. I think in the first episode, I probably contributed more than anybody on my team.

'I think for the show, the person that contributes the least should go home. I thought a had a few more weeks at least left in me.'

However, Lord Sugar has revealed that he was so furious by the 'shocking' performance from both teams, that they had to cut a 'heated exchange' from the boardroom.

The entrepreneur fumed: 'It is a classic task. You'd think it's quite simple, wouldn't you? 

'Just for the audience's reference, we don't just pick nine items randomly, we actually sent people out there beforehand to do a dummy run, to go and find these things, so we know they're there. We know that they are gettable...'

He continued: 'Yeah, and I was a bit disappointed. I think it must have shown... to spend all that time and money of sending everybody to Hong Kong. 

'And one of the teams only found two of them, and the other team found three of them, and even then they got wrong. It was quite shocking, really. 

'And so I expressed my displeasure, from what I recall, what you've seen, you saw a kind of a mild disapproval from me...

'But there was actually a little bit more of a heated exchange when I told them how disappointed I was.'