Apprentice Candidates Speak Out After Dramatic Double Firing in Hong Kong Premiere
Two entrepreneurs fired during the landmark 20th series premiere of The Apprentice have revealed it took them weeks to emotionally recover from Lord Alan Sugar's brutal decision, while simultaneously arguing the business magnate made the wrong call in dismissing them.
Historic Hong Kong Task Proves Challenging for Contestants
To commemorate two decades of the iconic BBC business reality show, Lord Sugar transported his twenty hopeful candidates to Hong Kong for the first episode, marking the programme's initial international boardroom meeting. The task challenged both male and female teams to source nine specific products at bargain prices within one of the world's most dynamic commercial centres.
However, contestants found themselves struggling with multiple obstacles including unfamiliar surroundings, pressing time constraints, and fundamental business principle failures. The female team particularly faltered, managing to purchase just two items while half their members arrived nearly two hours late at the designated finishing point, incurring significant penalties.
Georgina Newton: "I Didn't Deserve to Be Fired"
Thirty-one-year-old actress and events manager Georgina Newton, who was the second contestant fired during the historic Hong Kong boardroom, expressed strong disagreement with Lord Sugar's verdict.
"I didn't deserve to be fired," Georgina stated emphatically. "I think in the first episode, I probably contributed more than anybody on my team, and for the show, the person that contributes the least should go home. I thought I had a few more weeks, at least, left in me."
Reflecting on the emotional impact, she revealed: "I was devastated. I spent two weeks feeling sorry for myself but then I picked myself back up, put myself back together and then cracked on ready for the next thing. But I was really sad."
Despite the disappointment, Georgina highlighted positive takeaways from the experience, particularly noting it was her first long-haul travel experience. She gained significant personal insight, explaining: "I've been performing in theatre all of my life. I've always played a character, and I think for a lot of my life, I've hidden behind being somebody else. Being in this process, it's the first time I've ever done anything just as Georgie. What I realise the most from this is that I am enough just as I am. I can hold my own."
Nikki Jetha Defends Her Leadership Despite Task Failure
Project manager Nikki Jetha, 33, who was the first contestant fired after leading the disorganised women's team, maintained she shouldn't have faced dismissal despite the task's poor outcome.
"I did not get to show more of myself and what I'm capable of, but I definitely don't feel defeated," Nikki asserted. "You know, I stepped forward, I took a risk and I own the outcome."
She defended her decision to take leadership during the challenging Hong Kong task: "I was brave enough to stand up and take on a challenge during the first task. It was unfamiliar territory - not knowing the process, let alone the country, and not having the internet and things like that. But I did the best I could do under the pressure, with limited information."
Nikki added philosophically: "I'd rather be fired for stepping up than staying safe in the background. There's a saying that ships are safest in the harbour, but that's not what they're built for."
The fired candidate also offered criticism of certain colleagues without naming them specifically: "There were some people who weren't team players, and they didn't contribute. They spent more time complaining and moaning, as opposed to giving ideas and working out how we can push forward."
Life After The Apprentice: Moving Forward from the Firing
Both entrepreneurs have since refocused their professional efforts following their dramatic exits from the BBC programme.
Georgina has secured work promoting products for various brands on TikTok and aspires to appear on a shopping channel in the future. Meanwhile, Nikki has returned to her previous role as a mortgage advisor while focusing on family life.
"I'm doing exactly what I do best," Nikki concluded about her post-Apprentice career. "I'm a mortgage advisor, I'm still advising my clients, growing my business and building my brand, but ultimately, I'm still a mum, family-focused. I'm definitely not slowing down, and this is not the last you have seen of me."
The dramatic double firing in Hong Kong has set a competitive tone for the remainder of the 20th anniversary series, with Lord Sugar demonstrating his trademark no-nonsense approach to business assessment from the very first episode.
