"Jana withdrew from the process."
Dr Jana Denzel has allegedly decided to quit his position as a candidate on BBC’s The Apprentice.
Jana is a cosmetic dentist from London and is the creator of a leading dental practice.
His clients range from Grammy Award-winners to Hollywood A-listers.
The businessman will allegedly quit The Apprentice of his own will after apparently using racist language during a task.
According to sources, Jana used the word ‘coloured’ to describe a black person.
Following this incident, the dentist was also asked to complete a diversity training course after filming.
Jana’s alleged exit from The Apprentice will reportedly air during the fifth task of the show, which will include the candidates devising a marketing campaign.
Jana is said to have used the term in this episode, which shocked two female candidates who proceeded to inform show bosses.
While the incident itself is not expected to be addressed on the show, Jana will tell Lord Alan Sugar that he is not a “good fit” for the show.
This will seemingly occur during the boardroom scenes following the task.
A source told The Sun: “The team had been discussing what the character should look like, and there were suggestions from some members to make sure the character was inclusive.
“It was then that Jana made the ‘coloured comment’, which particularly upset two female candidates on his team.
“The team were particularly shocked because, coming from a minority background himself, they did not expect Jana to use such offensive language to describe their marketing campaign.
“While his co-stars did push back and made it clear to Jana the comment was unacceptable, it was then escalated further when it was flagged to the production team, who pulled Jana aside.”
However, a spokesperson for The Apprentice maintained that Jana’s exit was unrelated to the controversy.
They explained: “Jana withdrew from the process for completely unrelated and separate reasons, and he has our full support.
“We were made aware of an ill-informed comment.
“As soon as it was flagged, we took swift and comprehensive action to address the issue.
“Whilst we have made it very clear to Jana that his use of language was not acceptable, we are confident there was no ill-intent behind it. The concerns of all parties involved have been addressed and resolved.”
This is not the first time that the BBC show has been in the headlines for controversies involving racial language.
In 2024, Dr Asif Munaf was suspended from the medical register after he made what were purported to be “anti-Semitic remarks”.
Asif was said to have shared controversial tweets for which he received diversity and inclusion training from the BBC.
Meanwhile, the 2025 series of The Apprentice began on January 30.
The third and latest episode was broadcast on Thursday, February 13, 2025. It saw the candidates source nine items as cheaply as possible in Stratford-upon-Avon.
On the losing team, Carlo Brancati was fired for his disruptive attitude and making inconsequential contributions to the task.
In previous tasks, Dr Jana Denzel had been praised for his business acumen, with previous winner Harpreet Kaur-Thakrar highlighting his negotiation skills.
When the candidates for The Apprentice 2025 were announced, Jana said:
“The biggest challenge I hope to tackle is living and working closely with 17 other individuals in a highly competitive and intense environment.
“While it’s going to be a challenging experience, I’m eager to make the most of it.”
“More importantly, I want to ensure that I have fun throughout the process, learn from my peers, and walk away with not just a potential investment but genuine friendships that will last far beyond the show.
“Lord Sugar is known for making smart, bold investments, and my business has the potential to disrupt and transform the UK dental industry.
“If he wants to be part of something that will leave a lasting impact on this sector, investing in me and my business is a no-brainer.”
The Apprentice continues on Thursday, February 20, 2025, when the candidates will be tasked with making a profit out of crops.
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