The huge mansion you see The Apprentice candidates living in isn't all it's cracked up to be, according to one of Lord Sugar's fired stars.
You’d think the humongous house was a land a luxury but despite the BBC paying £100,000 to house the show’s contestants, it’s far from perfect, says Navid Sole.
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The 27-year-old, who took part in the 2022 series, insists there were a few basics missing.
“Its a multi-million pound mansion, but half of the amenities weren’t working and they wouldn’t fit them, it’s like what the hell?” Navid told The Sun about house located on The Bishops Avenue, otherwise known as Billionaires’ Row.
"The lighting was awful, some lights wouldn't even turn on or off and there was a sauna and steam room that were broken.”
"You have to share rooms. So, I was in there with four boys and in the night I could hear the boys farting, it was just so uncomfortable.
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"I'm quite tall, I'm 6ft - and the beds are so tiny. My legs were constantly sticking out at the end.
"I'm the kind of person who needs four pillows and two duvets. It felt like I was in a military camp.
"At night I'd have to tiptoe out to the toilet so I wouldn't wake anyone up. It would take about 40 minutes to take a p*** because I was always conscious of trying to get back to my bed without bumping into anything.
"I've not been to prison before, but I think it's the kind of vibe it's giving, from what I've seen in movies."
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In that series, 16 of the country’s top aspiring entrepreneurs battle it out for Lord Alan Sugar’s £250,000 investment in their business all while living together in a mansion.
Viewers only see the a few minutes worth of mansion screen time each episode, usually in the early mornings when the contestants are forced out of bed at ridiculous hours or when they return to spill the gossip on who will be fired next.
The contestants have 4am wake-up calls and only 20 minutes to get ready for the day. So, the chaos you see on screen is 100 percent real.
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Navid also revealed that contestants ‘can’t even speak to family members apart from a once a week phone call’ and there’s a chaperone who tells you when your five minutes are up.
A spokesperson for the show explained they value the ‘duty of care’ for the candidates and have ‘robust measures in place to ensure everyone feels supported’.
Unfortunately for the pharmacist and Nicki Minaj super-fan, he was not chosen to be Lord Sugar’s next business partner. He was unceremoniously fired in the third episode, before an iconic final message to the man in charge.
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“I’m 100 percent sure that Lord Sugar will see my name one day because I definitely am a passionate, hard-working person and you know what? This playboy has not finished yet, I’ve still got a lot left of me, Okurrr.”
The new series started on Thursday (5 January) and features a whopping 18 contestants - the most in the show's history - vying for Lord Sugar's investment.
The Apprentice is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Topics: TV and Film, BBC
Gregory Robinson