As four candidates face up to their make-or-break date with Sir Alan Sugar, people tuning in without a licence risk more than just a summons to The Boardroom — anyone caught watching TV illegally risks prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000.

The final — being contested on Wednesday between Claire Young, Alex Wotherspoon, Helene Speight and Lee McQueen — brings to an end a gruelling 11-week search to find a candidate with enough business acumen to impress Sir Alan, land a whopping £100,000 salary and snap up the UK's most sought-after apprenticeship role.

But as the candidates' date with destiny nears, TV Licensing is warning viewers it will be using its database of more than 29 million addresses and a team of enquiry officers to identify precisely which addresses might be tuning in without a licence.

Enquiry officers will be visiting tomorrow night, so people settling down to watch the final should be prepared for an unwelcome knock at the door — and there will be no chances to pass the blame onto someone else in typical boardroom style.

On the day of last year's Apprentice final, TV Licensing caught more than 1,850 evaders across the UK, including 127 in Northern Ireland.

Deborah King, spokeswoman for TV Licensing Northern Ireland, said: " Anyone intending to watch The Apprentice without a TV licence should think again. TV Licensing would always prefer people to buy a licence rather than risk prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000, which is why we offer a range of ways to pay.

"For more information about how to spread the cost of your television licence, visit www.tvlicensing.co.uk/info ."