[Benjamin]

A former contestant on hit BBC show The Apprentice says the series is now “well past its sell-by date” as it prepares to return to our screens for a ninth series.

Maria O’Connor lasted until just the second week of last year’s show before she was told by Lord Sugar that she was ‘fired’.

But it hasn’t derailed the businesswoman’s ambition - she continues to manage her Elizavet Greek restaurant in Sandwich and says business has boomed since she appeared on the show.

She is not as complimentary, however, to the show which gave her 15 minutes of fame.

She told us: “It is well past its sell-by date now. If I had the show, I would revamp it completely.

“One thing I would like to do is have fewer contestants, and let them all be project manager before anyone is fired. And the firing should be done by more than one person.

“When I was on the programme, the first girl who was fired was brilliant at business and really had it going on. It just doesn’t seem fair.”

Ms O’Connor was second to go after her team failed to win enough orders for a bizarre bath protector.

She said: “I reckon this year’s series will be just like all the others, unless they have done something different, which I doubt.

“As for me, nothing much has happened. Business at the restaurant went up because more people knew me, so that is nice.

“I have done what I have always done – work hard and keep the business going. The programme was good advertising for me.

“I speak with a couple of the contestants from time to time, but am not close to any of them.”

As for her advice to this year’s contestants?

The outspoken 21-year-old said: “Just be who you are. Don’t become what they want you to become. That is the best way. Don’t change for anyone. Don’t compromise yourself for anything. There is no point being someone you are not.”

The self-confessed man eater had promised to get Lord Sugar to fall in love with her.

It didn’t work out, and before she was sacked, advisor Nick Hewer said: “She is a very noisy young woman.”

And Lord Sugar said: “It looks like she just wants to row. She looks a fiery person.”

Our Kent contestant also laid in to former winner Stella English for taking Lord Sugar to an industrial tribunal and losing after her work position became difficult.

She added: “She has completely killed her career. Who is going to employ her now?”

The new series is scheduled to start within the next two weeks.

http://www.kentnews.co.uk/news/the_a...rmat_1_2022499

[Joelle.]

Well past its sell-by date? Didn't stop her going on it last year did it...

[MTVN]

Her ideas are terrible, just bitter that she only made it to week 2

[lostalex]

she's 21. dumb *****.

[Jake.]

She was a decent candidate for the 20 minutes of airtime she was featured in, but a complete hypocrite

[Vanessa]

She's the one who is past its sell by date.

[Jordan.]

Very true Maria, I stopped watching after she went actually

[reece(:]

Loved Maria and Bilyana

[Tom4784]

I shan't bother to watch this series, It's just dull and repetitive now.

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by reece(:

Loved Maria and Bilyana

Bilyana was such a mess... gotta laugh at how she ****ed herself over in the boardroom

[reece(:]

Originally Posted by JH95

Bilyana was such a mess... gotta laugh at how she ****ed herself over in the boardroom

It's weird also how she looked exactly liked Paloma too.

[Jake.]

Originally Posted by reece(:

It's weird also how she looked exactly liked Paloma too.

Paloma?

[reece(:]

Originally Posted by JH95

Paloma?

Well, sort of.

[Joelle.]

Paloma

[Shaun]

Originally Posted by lostalex

she's 21. dumb *****.

*****? nice misogyny there, alex.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Dezzy

I shan't bother to watch this series, It's just dull and repetitive now.

[2]

[reece(:]

Originally Posted by Juan_Sheet

Paloma