"Changing my mind didn't help."
In the latest episode of the BBC’s The Apprentice, things took an unusual turn.
The second episode of the 2026 series saw the candidates create a children’s storybook for four- to six-year-olds.
The business hopefuls had to create both a book and an audio version and pitch the product to retailers, with the goal of securing sales.
The Girls team took home the win, with sales of 2,855 units.
With a lower total of 419 units, the Boys lost the task, resulting in Project Manager Marcus Donkoh facing Lord Alan Sugar’s firing finger.
When Lord Sugar asked Marcus to pick two people to bring back into the final boardroom, the barber shop owner chose Dan Miller and Kieran McCartney.
However, in a first for The Apprentice, when Lord Sugar requested the three men to step outside, Marcus asked to go back in to speak with the business mogul.
Marcus said: “I just had a quick contemplation. I would like to change my decision.
“I actually do want to send Dan back home and bring in Priyesh [Bathia].”
Lord Sugar replied: “But you did say you want to bring Dan back in. You must have had a reason for that.”
Instead of replacing Dan with Priyesh, Lord Sugar decided that all four candidates would be returning to the final boardroom.
When Marcus was asked why he changed his mind, he said:
“I thought I should also bring in those that didn’t really pull their weight or do anything at all.”
While Lord Sugar said that Priyesh “can talk the hind legs off a donkey”, he ultimately fired Marcus from The Apprentice.
Off-screen, Marcus elaborated further about the fact that he chose to bring Priyesh back in.
The 28-year-old said: “It was really intense in the boardroom. I had to make a decision very quickly on who to bring back.
“So, changing my mind didn’t help, but I feel as though there were other candidates that performed a lot worse than I did, didn’t do what they were supposed to do.
“I feel as though they deserved to get kicked off rather than myself.”
Meanwhile, The Apprentice continues on Thursday, February 12, 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
The 17 remaining candidates will be asked to turn ingredients into profit.
While one team will be focusing on chicken, the other will be working with eggs.
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