The Apprentice candidate Reece Donnelly has addressed claims he was kicked off the show.
On Thursday (9 February), the latest episode of the BBC competition continued, showing contestants participating in a task in Dubai.
At the beginning of the episode, Donnelly could be seen at Heathrow. However, he later vanished from the episode, leaving viewers to wonder where he was.
Back in the boardroom, Lord Sugar told the contestants that Donnelly had to withdraw from the series.
However, The Sun claimed that Donnelly was actually booted off the show due to drinking on the flight to Dubai.
The report said: “Producers take health and safety extremely seriously and have a duty of care to all the candidates.
“Having him on screen intoxicated and taking part in a task when he was unfit to do so was something they simply couldn’t contemplate.”
Donnelly has now responded to the claims, stating: ”I don’t have any comment to make on that. I left the show due to health reasons and I’ve said this.”
He continued: “I could not continue in The Apprentice due to being unable to complete the task in Dubai for health reasons.
Since the episode’s broadcast, Donnelly has thanked viewers on Instagram, and participated in an interview about his time on the show.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, he said he thinks he “would have made it a lot further” had he not left prematurely.
Joe Philips was the latest contestant to be fired by Lord Sugar.
This year’s series is minus aide Claude Littner, who was forced to quit after just one episode.
The Apprentice continues Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One.
