BBC The Apprentice axed candidate sets record straight on the truth behind Lord Alan Sugar 4am wake-up calls

The Apprentice returns on Thursday for episode eight of the gruelling competition, and at least one more candidate will make their exit from the show.

Last week saw a twist as Lord Alan Sugar decided to fire not one but two contestants, and opted to do so on the spot rather than the usual format of bringing back three from the losing team to battle it out.

Speaking exclusively to GB News, one of the casualties, Keir Shave, talked about his experience on the show and answered one of fans’ most pressing questions.

Viewers know a traditional element of the competition sees the candidates given very early wake-up calls, usually around 4am, before being told they have “20 minutes” to get ready to meet business tycoon Sugar, 77, to find out their task for the day.

Many viewers have rubbished the claim throughout the 19 series of the show because, by the time the contestants arrive at the taxis to venture to the London-based location to meet Sugar, it’s often bright outside.

However, 27-year-old Shave explained the brutal wake-up calls and time constraints in the morning are accurate.

“However many years and everyone still thinks that we’re lying!” he told the People’s Channel.

“You genuinely do get 20 to 30 minutes to get ready,” the business owner explained.

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He continued: “You don’t go out of the house in 20 to 30 minutes because, of course, it goes from being really dark to really light in the episode, but that’s because we’re getting our mics on.

“We’re eating food, we’re then filming about 15 times going in and out the house. So you’re not out the house in 20 to 30 minutes, but you do genuinely get [that amount of time] to get ready.”

Shave, who owns telemarketing company Parallel Partnerships, also dispelled the myth that Sugar’s no-nonsense aides, Karren Brady and Tim Campbell, are frightening individuals following the personas they’ve built throughout the series.

When asked about Sugar, he admitted: “Honestly, you don’t really interact with him that much, you only ever really speak to him during the boardroom scenes.

“They’re relatively screened so you don’t really get to know him as a person.

“I’d say you got much more interaction with Karren and Tim, you speak to them a fair bit on like tasks. They chill with you off camera and stuff.”

Offering his opinions on the two, he added: “So you got to know those guys a bit more – and they weren’t as scary as they try to be either.”

Last week, fans weren’t pleased by the losing team’s performance as they were tasked with launching a new banking app and accompanying money box for six to nine-year-olds.

The contestants had to pitch the idea to industry heavyweights to secure the most investment wins.

Shave’s team opted for a dog-themed money box, and candidate Mia Collins devised the idea of Strong Savers, using the letters SS on the dog tag.

The team quickly realised the error of their ways and changed the logo to a pound sign.

Many fans spotted the blunder before the team, with some taking to social media to express their shock over the problematic design.

One wrote on X: “NOT ONE OF THE TEAMS NEARLY PUTTING THE ‘SS’ ON THEIR LOGO #TheApprentice.” (sic)

Shave was fired alongside Frederick Afrifa, which many have deemed an “unfair” decision.