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Week Four's casualty of war on what he thinks of Claire, who's going to win it, and the scent of a certain woman…
It's been a busy few days, I imagine?
It's been absolutely bonkers! The reaction's been overwhelming. I got mobbed at Liverpool Street Station the other day, and people were saying, "Go on and win it," but obviously I couldn't say anything…
Since they've known I've been fired, people have been coming up to me in the street, texting me on Radio 5, there are job offers coming in…it's overwhelming. It's very, very humbling to be liked as an Apprentice candidate, it doesn't happen very often.
Did you deserve to be fired?
Oh, absolutely. Because of the vanity in me wanting to be a photographer. I shouldn't have been the project manager - or I should have been the project manager and not the photographer. That's the fundamental mistake I made - never mind the fact that the team wasn't behind me from the start.
Ultimately, I was ready to go. You saw the point where I broke down in Bluewater, that's because I realised at that exact moment that my Apprentice dream was over. Because I thought, if Helene's not spectacularly ballsed this up, I'm going tomorrow. I'm gonna go into the boardroom and I'm gonna get fired.
You said that Claire was completely unmanageable?
Claire's a really accomplished businesswoman, and she's terrific when she's in charge, but if she's not…
She may have to change. Sir Alan's obviously cottoned on to what she's like and I think she needs to change a little bit if she's going to go any further because if he puts her in charge next week and she loses, you would say she's definitely very vulnerable.
But there's no resentment there?
No, no - I'll buy her a drink when she gets out, no hard feelings. It's business, it's not personal. And when she said "This is all getting a bit personal," in the boardroom, that's when me and Alex turned and said "No, Claire, the only person getting personal in here is you". She got very upset because her own shortcomings were being pointed out - she hadn't seen what she was actually like.
So, it might be the change that she needs, or she's going to go about it the same way and she's going to end up getting fired very soon. It'll be interesting to see which one, won't it?
As you left, you told Alex to go on and win it. Is it that you expect him to go all the way, or that you want him to?
If I wanted someone to win it, it would be Raef because I think he's an absolutely terrific guy. You know, for the same reason it seems a lot of people wanted me to win it - because they thought I was a decent fella. But that's not enough, it is a business competition and you do need a ruthless streak, and I think I lacked a couple of the minerals that Sir Alan's looking for in his apprentice.
But what I see in Alex is a 24-year-old with an absolutely tip-top, outstanding business CV who's very shrewd. I took him in with me because he is a game player and he needed that pointed out to him. But he's definitely got the full package and he could definitely go and win it.
Any others that you'd pick out as contenders?
Yeah, Helene. You haven't seen a lot of her yet, and even as project manager she needs to come to the fore a bit, she's quite understated. She's a very similar person to me, in that she would rather not brag, she'd rather just quietly get on and do it, and then you see how experienced she is. So she could potentially do quite well.
But it's difficult at the moment because it's still a very busy house. I know who I think the final six will be - Lee, Helene, Claire, Alex, Michael and Sara - but every series so far there's been a few curve balls. Someone gets to week ten and you think, "Christ, how are they still there?" You can be a weak candidate on a winning team and go a long way in this competition.
So you'll still be watching the show?
I'm really looking forward to watching it next week because I'll watch it much more comfortably knowing I'm not in it and I can take my hands away from my eyes. It'll be a very interesting show next week, I think.
What are your feelings about Sir Alan?
I'm very grateful, as I said on the show, for a wonderful opportunity, for him picking me to come on. I think he wanted me to do well. He was always very kind to me in the boardroom , always talked to me in a decent way. But I think I gave him the answers. Obviously, you only see edited highlights from the boardroom, but when he asked me questions in there, he got a straight answer. He didn't get it flowered up - y'know, I'd say, "We f***** that up, Sir Alan".
He let me go with my dignity intact - "My friend, with regret, you're fired" - which was rather nice of him. I've got the utmost respect for the guy, I really do, and having worked for him, albeit for only four weeks, my opinion of him has grown in stature rather than shrunk.
So, you mentioned Sir Alan's secretary Frances on You're Fired! What does she smell like…?
She's got the best perfume. And she's stunning!
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