boardroom walkout
The Apprentice shock as candidate QUITS and walks out in dramatic boardroom scenes
The cast of the hit BBC business series were left stunned as the entrepreneur gave up their fight in front of Lord Sugar
THE Apprentice was left in chaos after a candidate quit the show in dramatic boardroom scenes.
The cast of the hit BBC business series were left stunned as the entrepreneur gave up their fight in front of Lord Sugar.
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Dodging being fired by the business tycoon, 77, the contestant decided to bow out themselves.
An insider told : "The Apprentice isn't for everyone and some of the candidates only realise that once they're in the process.
"One contestant this series decided to leave the competition early telling Lord Sugar "this isn't for me."
"It came as a total shock in the boardroom – some of the cast now believe the candidate wanted to avoid the potential embarrassment of being fired.
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"They saved Lord Sugar the trouble and simply gave up the chance of becoming his next business partner."
The Sun has contacted a spokesperson for The Apprentice comment.
Another source close to the candidate - whose identity remains under wraps for now - said they realised the show "wasn't for them".
They said: "Ultimately, they realised that the show wasn't the right process for them and their fellow candidates wanted it more.
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"Staying in the process wouldn't have been fair to their competitors as far as they were concerned."
The Apprentice star hits out at ‘fame hungry’ accusations and calls show ‘hardest on telly’
The Apprentice continues tonight as the remaining candidates are put under pressure in Stratford-upon-Avon.
So far Emma Rothwell and Aoibheann Walsh have been sacked by Lord Sugar, with both candidates speaking exclusively to The Sun after their axes.
The Apprentice winners who have quit
By Conor O'Brien
Since The Apprentice launched in 2005, Lord Alan Sugar has crowned several winners.
In 2011, the prize changed from a job working under Lord Sugar to a £250,000 investment partnership.
While some past winners work with Lord Sugar to this day, other collaborations have long ended.
Here is a look at some of the winners who have quit working with the business giant.
- Tim Campbell: After winning the first series, Tim (who was 26 at the time) secured a position at Lord Sugar's company Amstrad on a £100,000 salary. After two years, Tim left to start a perfume business - although this was later abandoned. Since 2022, he has been back on The Apprentice as one of Lord Sugar's aides.
- Lee McQueen: Having won series four in 2008, 30-year-old Lee McQueen was assigned a position at Amscreen. He left the role after two years in July 2010.
- Yasmina Siadatan: Yasmina, who won The Apprentice in 2009, fell pregnant four months into her £100k-a-year role. She worked for Lord Sugar for 12 months but chose not to return after her maternity leave.
- Stella English: 2010 winner Stella English went on to work for Lord Sugar's Viglen after time on the BBC show. However, she walked out after 13 months of employment when told her contract would not be renewed and claimed she was just an "overpaid lackey".
- Mark Wright: Australian-born Mark won in 2014 and used the £250,000 investment to found digital marketing agency Climb Online. He parted ways with Lord Sugar in 2022, selling the business for an estimated £10million.
- Joseph Valente: Former plumber Joseph won the BBC show in 2015. However, he and Lord Sugar ultimately ended their working relationship after 18 months.
- Alana Spencer: Alana partnered up with Lord Sugar after winning in 2016. She claimed the top spot with her cake business Ridiculously Rich. The pair worked together for three years - until Alana ultimately bought out Lord Sugar.
- James White: In a one-time situation, James was one of two Apprentice winners in 2017. Three years after he won the show, Lord Sugar left the IT recruitment company, but reportedly let him keep the £250,000 investment.
- Sarah Lynn: Sweets delivery businesswoman Sarah was the other joint winner in 2017. She and Lord Sugar parted ways in September 2022.
- Carina Lepore: After winning The Apprentice in 2019, Lord Sugar put a £250,000 investment in Carina Lepore's Dough Artisan Bakehouse business. However, the pair ended their partnership in 2023.
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