Trainee lawyer axed from Apprentice

8:06am Thursday 27th March 2008

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The first contestant to be booted off the new series of The Apprentice says he hopes to pursue his original ambition to become a lawyer.

Sir Alan gave Nicholas de Lacy-Brown - a trainee barrister from Clapham - the boot after the very first task, selling fresh fish, after a row over lobster prices revealed he was more suited to the courtroom than the boardroom.

The first episode of the new series - which sees hopefuls battle it out for a job with Sir Alan's company - aired on BBC1 last night.

The 23-year-old said: "It was quite traumatic. It was very stressful selling fish in a Saville Row suit. We all stank of fish."

He added: "It's a mixture of disappointment and a huge sense of relief. It's a unique experience and I'm disappointed not to be able to experience more of it.

"But Sir Alan Sugar and I realised pretty soon that we weren't good for each other. We were very different people, like chalk and cheese.

"I couldn't see myself working in his company.

"The fact that I was obsessed with academic qualifications and am a lawyer and an artist didn't take his fancy."

In the boardroom showdown, Sir Alan told Nicholas: "You told me you got an outstanding pass from the Bar, but you weren't outstanding in this task.

"You were devastated when you got a B in GCSE French. You're about to be even more devastated now because you got a big, fat F - you're fired."

Contestants on the fourth series of The Apprentice share a plush £5million converted warehouse in Battersea.

The Glass Factory, in Candahar Road, is described by one property website as an "exceptional warehouse-style family house". But Nicholas was unimpressed.

"It was very flashy and desirable from the outside," he said. "On closer inspection it was a bit Ikea, a bit MDF and plastic.

"There were a few Bang and Olufson's dotted around for good measure, but I've got one of them myself so that didn't impress me so much."