The Apprentice candidate makes “unusual” last minute request in tense boardroom ahead of firing

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**Warning: Contains spoilers for The Apprentice season 20**

The popular show The Apprentice continued tonight, February 5th, with the 18 remaining contestants tackling a new challenge designed to test their creativity.

The candidates had to write and record a children’s story, but the boys’ team lost investor interest with their attempt at silly, bathroom-related jokes.

Once the sales numbers were counted, the boys realized they hadn’t performed well and needed to demonstrate why they still deserved a chance to become Lord Sugar’s next business partner.

When the team went back to the boardroom, each member argued why they shouldn’t be eliminated. Then, Lord Sugar asked Marcus Donkoh, the project manager, who he wanted to see return to face questioning.

Marcus decided to reinstate Kieran McCartney and Dan Miller. However, it was pointed out that no one from the team responsible for the product’s storyline was brought back to help, even though that area was considered the biggest weakness.

I was really struck by the disconnect during the pitch meeting. Here was Priyesh Bathia confidently predicting sales of 50,000 to 60,000 copies of their children’s book, and then Waterstones only offered to buy… ten. It was a bizarre contrast, to say the least, and definitely left me wondering what was going on behind the scenes.

Just when Priyesh thought he was safe, Marcus changed his mind. While waiting to go back to the boardroom, Marcus asked to speak with Lord Sugar, explaining that he’d thought things over and now wanted to send Dan home instead, bringing Priyesh back into the competition.

Lord Sugar surprised everyone by calling all four candidates back to the boardroom. Karren Brady and Lord Sugar both acknowledged this was a highly unusual step.

The candidates then returned to the boardroom to make their final arguments. Marcus explained his change of heart, stating that he believed they should not only reconsider those who hadn’t finished their tasks, but also those who hadn’t contributed much effort at all.

When Priyesh asked Marcus for examples of his mistakes, Marcus responded by blaming him for the group’s overall failure. Priyesh quickly defended himself, stating, “I’m not only a skilled negotiator, but also a strong salesperson.”

The candidates each made a final argument for why they deserved to stay, suggesting who they believed should be eliminated instead. However, the ultimate decision rested with Lord Sugar.

He started by saying to Marcus, “You said you could show me how a good project manager operates, but honestly, I haven’t seen any evidence of that.” Then, turning to Kieran, he said, “I’m disappointed in the way you’ve presented yourself, and I’m questioning whether you’d be a suitable business partner.” Finally, he concluded, “Marcus, you’re fired.”

Next week’s episode will see Lord Sugar’s candidates facing a new challenge: creating and selling food. They’ll need to come up with a profitable plan, from cooking up street food to catering to businesses, all while under intense pressure, as previewed by the BBC.

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The Apprentice continues Thursday 12th February at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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Authors

Katelyn MensahSenior Entertainment Writer

Katelyn Mensah writes about entertainment for TopMob, covering everything from popular TV shows and reality competitions to important documentaries. Before joining TopMob, she worked at The Tab, where she focused on reality TV and celebrity news. She has a degree in Journalism.

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2026-02-06 01:34