Through the 2016 series of The Apprentice, candidate Paul Sullivan has been called out for his hot-headed nature – and it reached fruition in the latest task.
The marketing agency owner took on the Project Manager role, putting on a casino event at Madame Tussauds.
The 38 year-old argued frequently during the challenge to put on a London event – and even answered Lord Sugar back in the boardroom.
Commenting on Sullivan’s decision to demote Jessica Cunningham as his sub-team manager, Lord Sugar asked: “So her relegation, or demotion, wasn’t anything to do with her performance, is that what you’re saying? You expect me to believe that?”
The Apprentice 2016 - who's been fired?
In response, Sullivan said: “If you don’t want to believe it, don’t believe it, alright? Look, take it how you want to take it, I’m going to argue my point.”
While Sullivan’s fellow candidates looked stunned, Lord Sugar said: “I’m taking it as I’m taking it. I want to know why you demoted [Jessica] on the second day.”
It wasn’t the only time Sullivan bubbled over in the task. A lack of clarity in pricing strategy meant his pricey tickets were sold to some guests with the promise of hot food – which wasn’t actually included in the cost.
When some guests complained that they would have to pay more, he rowed with Cunningham in front of all their guests.
“I need you to explain what’s gone on,” Paul said heatedly at Jessica. “Everyone’s saying that you sold them a ticket and you told them they were getting hot meals with their tickets.”
Lord Sugar’s aide Claude Littner was unimpressed, commenting: “Paul quite lost it with Jessica. It was quite unfair because she’s not the only culprit.
“By all means, go somewhere private and have a good row if you need to, but in public when you’ve got all your guests here, that’s not the time, that’s not the place. It was pretty bad spectacle.”
In the boardroom, Lord Sugar surmised: “Paul, I think that you made a very, very big error in the pricing strategy.
“You can’t lose your rag every single time something goes wrong, and you did lose your rag on this task in representing me in front of customers.”
While Cunningham came close to leaving the process, Lord Sugar decided otherwise.
“Jessica, I have to think about whether you are a potential winner of this process,” he said. “I haven’t seen enough so far to tell me that, but I think I’ve seen enough in the case of you Paul to say, you’re fired!”
BBC One, 9pm
