Drama reaches fever pitch on The Apprentice as one contestant has “quit” the reality TV competition in a yet-to-be-broadcast boardroom showdown, it’s been reported.
The candidate reportedly left 77-year-old Lord Alan Sugar reeling after declaring, “it’s not for me,” and storming out of the show — a move that preempted his potential firing and forfeited any chance at the coveted £250,000 investment and mentorship prize.
While the candidate’s identity remains a secret, it’s been disclosed that tensions hit the roof following a task set in Stratford-Upon-Avon — Shakespeare’s birthplace. The entrepreneurial contestants were tasked with sourcing nine items for the lowest prices under strict time limits, a testament to their business acumen and negotiation skills.
However, the pressure escalated back in the boardroom, where the fight erupted as they faced elimination. MailOnline reports that disputes arose among the 18 hopefuls, trying to curry favor with business titan Lord Sugar as he engaged in his decision-making process.
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Lord Sugar in the boardroom on The Apprentice (Image: BBC)
A TV insider revealed to MailOnline: “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’.”
They continued, “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. They saved Lord Sugar the trouble and simply gave up the chance of becoming his next business partner,” reports .
An acquaintance of the departing contestant mentioned that the hopeful had “realised that the show wasn’t the right process” and acknowledged that there were others more eager to secure Lord Sugar’s investment. Staying in the contest “wouldn’t have been fair” to the other competitors, leading to the decision of the aspiring Apprentice to promptly exit the race.
The Apprentice is on One Thursdays and on iPlayer
Lord Sugar with his aides Karren and Tim (Image: BBC / FremantleMedia Ltd)