Apprentice Viewers Express Fury Over Vanessa Tetteh-Squire's Boardroom Mistake
Fans of the BBC's The Apprentice were left seething with anger following what they perceived as a significant boardroom error that resulted in the firing of contestant Vanessa Tetteh-Squire. The dramatic episode, which aired last night, saw the tech project manager face elimination after her team's disappointing performance in a flower-selling challenge designed to transform petals into profit.
Team Failure and Lord Sugar's Criticism
Vanessa, who served as project manager for the losing team, came under intense scrutiny from Lord Sugar when it was revealed her team generated only £564.59 in revenue. This amount represented just over a quarter of the earnings achieved by the opposing team, highlighting a substantial gap in performance. Despite team members pointing fingers at sub-team leader Lawrence Rosenberg for his inadequate briefing, Vanessa made the controversial decision to bring fellow candidate Pascha Myhill back into the boardroom for the final judgment.
Lord Sugar himself appeared visibly perplexed by this choice, openly questioning Vanessa's reasoning. The renowned businessman stated: 'I don't quite understand Vanessa's choosing you to come back here... I can't see what you did wrong in this task.' This confusion from the show's host only amplified viewer skepticism about Vanessa's strategic thinking.
Social Media Backlash and Fan Reactions
Audiences quickly took to social media platforms to voice their disapproval, with many labeling Vanessa's move as a fatal error that contributed to her dismissal. According to Digital Spy, one viewer passionately commented: 'Pascha?! Why on Earth did Vanessa bring back Pascha?! Karishma was WAY more at fault for the failure of the task than Pascha was. I hope Vanessa is fired.'
Another fan echoed this sentiment, writing: 'Pascha?? It’s not her fault you lost, easy way to get fired Vanessa,' while a third agreed: 'Vanessa shouldn’t have bought Pascha back why did she do that?!' A fourth observer noted: 'The way Vanessa just came with vim out of nowhere to throw Pascha under the bus like that. CRAZY.' This collective outrage underscored widespread belief that Vanessa's boardroom selection was misguided and ultimately costly.
Vanessa's Post-Exit Comments and Reflections
Following her elimination, Vanessa launched a blistering critique of her fellow candidates, accusing them of 'coasting' through the competition. She claimed they had intentionally avoided volunteering for leadership roles to remain under the radar, leaving her to shoulder responsibility as project manager. Expressing her disappointment, Vanessa stated: 'I was gutted, absolutely gutted. I don't believe it was my time to go.'
She elaborated on her perspective, saying: 'I kind of just feel like my fate was already decided from when I put myself up because nobody else wanted the job, and we know from Apprentice history that the PM will always get the blame should anything go wrong. I was getting tired of waiting around to prove that I am who I think I am. I could have done what other candidates do, which is coast and completely go under the radar.'
Vanessa defended her decision to take on the challenging flower-selling task, despite having no prior experience. She argued: 'I was gutted that my risk of putting myself up for a task that I knew nothing about wasn’t seen as being a risk taker, or willing to do whatever it took to get the result. It was taken as though I decided to do something I knew nothing about. I don't really think it was my turn to go at all. I had a lot to offer.'
Reflecting on her overall experience, Vanessa highlighted a memorable moment from the show: her distinctive 'strut' during a task earlier this month. Fans had taken to social media to comment on her model-like walk, which she addressed humorously on Instagram, writing: 'I strutted my way to the highest sales on the task So a win is a win.' She later added: 'I think the highlight for me so far, watching back the episodes, has been my strut. My strut has gone down in history. It was something I was just doing to just bring joy to myself, but it is now going down as a moment in history. The most ridiculous moment in Apprentice history.'
Levi Hague's Health Revelation
In related news, fellow contestant Levi Hague recently disclosed that he suffered a severe illness during filming, which led to his absence from a previous episode. The 33-year-old former gunner and HGV driver explained on TikTok that he experienced food poisoning after eating spaghetti bolognese, resulting in diarrhea and vomiting. He described vomiting upon arrival at the boardroom location, prompting producers to isolate him immediately to prevent spreading the illness to other candidates.
Levi praised the show's team for their care during his recovery, noting they conducted hourly checks and provided necessary support. He humorously remarked: 'Put it this way, I lost more weight than an Ozempic user, and after I went toilet after 21 times in a day, I stopped counting after that.' His return to the competition has since been featured on screen, with Lord Sugar initially informing candidates of his sickness-related absence.
The Apprentice continues to captivate audiences with its blend of business challenges and dramatic confrontations, airing next Thursday at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
