Amy Anzel has slammed her experience on the BBC's The Apprentice, saying she sought therapy after suffering from anxiety and depression after she was fired from the business competition.
The American entrepreneur was shown the door by Lord Alan Sugar in week six of the contest, which has seen 16 candidates battle it out to win £250,000-worth of investment from the business magnate. She claims she was left baffled after Lord Sugar took a dig at her not becoming a project manager during her time on the show, despite being sub team leader in four out of six tasks, and says she believes she didn't get a fair chance.
Lord Sugar referenced how New Yorker Amy had lived in Los Angeles and asked her if she was an 'LA Dodger'. He sniped: "You dodged the project management side of things, you've been here six weeks to show that you can do something, and you haven't shown me you can do something. And so it is with regret that you're fired. Thank you."
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A distraught Amy claims scenes showing her pleading in the boardroom to stay in the competition were edited out. And she says she sought the help of a therapist after her time on the show after struggling to cope.
"I was totally shocked," she told the Manchester Evening News.
"He didn't give me a chance. People told me afterwards 'if only you'd asked him for a chance'. But I did.
"I said 'please, I'm begging you'. I put myself up for team leader in week two and I was sub team leader in four out of six tasks. I was depressed and I was confused and wondering 'what have I done wrong?'
"I just couldn't make sense of that firing and I couldn't seem to accept it so I went to a therapist for advice and support. I was having anxiety and couldn't cope and she was amazing.
"I have watched the show for 10 years and somebody has been PM for the first time in week seven or eight. But Lord Sugar said I was a 'dodger' and I didn't like to step up to the plate.
"It was made out like I was hiding when I was assigned that role (as sub team leader). Why would I be project manager if the right person is in that role? The last tasks would have been perfect for me - the shopping channel task, the baby food task because I have a young child and the day at Silverstone."
Amy - who decided to take part in the hope of winning investment to expand her business Hollywood Browzer Beauty, a beauty tools brand that specialises in dermaplaning, hair removal and exfoliation tools - says she was hurt by tweets Lord Sugar posted about her.
One tweet read: "Amy didn’t sell she was so slow. Slower than broadband Wi-Fi in Cornwall." And after her departure he tweeted: "I think if I came up with a task of the life and time of Amy Anzel she would still be sub team leader."
Upset by his remark Amy, the show's oldest contestant at 48, hit back: "I think if you’d given me the same chance you afforded Nick in Week 3, I would’ve proven myself too...How is being Sub Team Leader 4 out of 6 tasks dodging?! Being Vice President isn’t dodging being President! Ageism & Anti-Americanism are a fine thing."
After being fired she posted two snaps of herself wearing an LA Dodgers baseball cap and jersey and said: "Don't worry @Lord_Sugar, this 48-year-old L.A Dodger is leaving with 100% of her 7-figure business @hollywoodbrowzr, already listed with major retailers @BootsUK @Argos_Online, @LookFantastic, @FeelUnique, @ASOS, @QVCUK as well as being listed in 159 countries…"
Amy says that she believes being 'too vocal' on Twitter led her to being not being invited to the 'You're Fired' finale, a celebratory spin-off show on BBC Two after the winner is revealed.
"I wasn't invited to the final taping so I don't even know who won," she said.
According to a source for The Apprentice, invitations to You’re Hired are 'always discretionary and never guaranteed'.
Amy says it's now 'onwards and upwards' for her and her business.
"I'm scaling up the business and there are big deals in the works and lots of meetings," she said. I truly believe things happen for a reason."
She's back in the final episode, which was filmed last August, to help finalists Kathryn Burn, 29, and Harpreet Kaur, 30, battle it out with their business plans. All I wanted to do was support the finalists," she said.
"I really respect Harpeet and Kathryn. I met Harpreet at the auditions so I was so excited to see her going through to the final.
"I'm not a sore loser." Amy, who has been a fan of The Apprentice and has watched the show for 10 years, says she will no longer be tuning in after this series.
"I was left very disillusioned by it I have to say. Before taking part I thought it was 95-per-cent business and five-per-cent entertainment and now I think the opposite.
"It's like the Wizard of Oz, there's no magic for me anymore." The M.E.N. approached the BBC for comment.
