Apprentice candidate Sohail Chowdhary has said the process was “a lot more tricky” than he realised from watching on TV after becoming the latest to be fired from the show.
The most recent episode of the BBC reality show saw the two teams of contestants design lunchboxes for school children with an accompanying mobile app.
Southampton-based martial arts school owner and instructor Chowdhary took on the role of project manager for the task but found himself in the bottom three after his team’s pirate-themed offering failed to impress industry experts.
After a tense boardroom grilling by Lord Alan Sugar alongside fellow candidates Bradley Johnson and Marnie Swindells, Chowdhary was sent packing.
Speaking after his exit, Chowdhary said: “It’s very different compared to what you expect.
“Everyone is watching the show and you’re like ‘Oh, they’re a bunch of idiots, I can do that’. Then when you’re on the show, you become one of those idiots. It’s a lot more tricky compared to what it looks like on TV.
“But either way, I’m so happy that I did it because it’s been such a surreal experience. The exposure has been insane, the amount of opportunities that come off the back of it has been incredible.”
The martial arts school owner said he felt his firing was “fair” and he would no longer stand by the lunchbox which he vouched for in the boardroom, saying: “When it comes down to it a lot of the mistakes were there.”
He added that he had anticipated it was likely to be the end of his journey that day, revealing: “I remember leaving the house in the morning and I was there saying goodbye to the house team, saying ‘This is most likely the last time you’re going to see me’.”
Since the show, Chowdhary has continued to develop his martial arts club which he has transformed into a multi-six-figure business in the last number of years.
Looking to the future, he said: “For me, it’s just taken that national by targeting new and existing martial arts clubs.
“It is logical to go down that route, the business already does very well and it’s just taken that across the UK.”
Chowdhary also hopes to inspire others with his story of running a successful business after growing up in a single-parent household on a council estate.
He explained: “One of the main reasons why I came on to the show was just to show people that no matter where you’re from, you can make it.
“I know a lot of people have the primary reason of going on the show to win but my primary reason was to go on to prove a point. That people from a council house like me, we can go off and we can make it.”
Amongst the remaining candidates, Chowdhary revealed he was backing senior sales representative Simba Rwambiwa to win.
He said: “We clicked on a personal level so well but I get his business acumen. I’m the same way I put passion into my martial arts club, he puts passion into healthcare.
“When you’ve both got passionate like that, you share the same business ethos and that’s what helps you become a better business person.
“I’ve seen it within him, and I know he’s going to go so far.”
The Apprentice airs every Thursday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer at 9pm.