The Apprentice viewers admitted to being 'upset' just seconds into the second episode of the brand-new series. Lord Alan Sugar's search for his next business partner continued on Thursday night (January 12) following the first firing during episode one last week.
That means 17 candidates remained in the BBC One competition as they bid to impress the billionaire boss and his aides in order to bag his quarter-of-a-million-pound investment in their business. During episode one, fans of the show saw the candidates whisked off to Antigua.
But this week, the remaining candidates were back on UK soil and the two teams were tasked with making and selling bao buns. They needed to keep their costs low and profits high while impressing market customers and their corporate clients as they catered for two different events.
However, before the task got underway, Lord Sugar had to explain a change. The 75-year-old businessman is usually joined by Baroness Karren Brady and Claude Littner on the show as his trusted aides who follow the teams on their tasks and feedback to Lord Sugar.
And while Claude returned to screens following and absence last week, he was nowhere to be seen on Thursday night and had again been replaced by The Apprentice's season one winner, Tim Campbell. Explaining the change, Lord Sugar said: "You may be wondering why this gentleman is here. Regretfully, Claude has not been very well and Tim will be assisting me for the next 11 weeks."
This is because Lord Sugar's right-hand man is easing his way back into his TV work following a shock bike accident last year. The businessman and TV personality, 73, who has been an advisor to Lord Alan Sugar on the hit BBC show since 2015, was absent from the last series after undergoing multiple surgeries after badly injuring his leg while riding an electric bike.
But the news didn't go down well with fans. @DiscoWeapon tweeted: "NOOOOOO, NOT CLAUDE! #theapprentice." @paulthompson94 said: "NO CLAUDE NO PARTY #TheApprentice." @DanielDm27 posted: "No. Claude. Why have you been taken from us @claudelittner #theapprentice #bloodydisgrace."
@muhwemphasisonm commented: "STOP IT CLAUDE CARRIES THE SHOW I MISS HIM #TheApprentice." @mrsheartless16 shared: "Nooooo not Claude off for the next 11 weeks we just got him back #theapprentice." @MBowen0304 shared: "Well that's f****d it for me, @claudelittner isn't on the rest of @bbcapprentice." @SarahCoded added: "Can't beleive I'm this upset over Claude #TheApprentice."
Others, however, praised Claude for coming back just for the Antigua episode while some blamed the girls team for his quick exit. But the man himself was quick to clear things up. He tweeted: "All good. Back for the interviews. Meanwhile, basic arithmetic is a problem for the girls."
Claude recently spoke about his horror crash as he promoted the new series of The Apprentice on Good Morning Britain. Offering a health update, he said: "I am doing wonderfully well, thank you. I am very grateful to the ambulance crew for looking after me and of course the surgeons at St Mary's who put me back together. It was a freak accident. I think someone was looking out for me but if someone was looking out for me better, I wouldn't have had the accident.- I was lucky to have the ambulance driving behind me."
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