The Apprentice fired candidate Riyonn Farsad interview: 'Ryan-Mark is holding out to get more airtime'

The latest Apprentice candidate to be fired by Lord Sugar has been revealed – and he doesn’t think the right choice was made.

For the show’s fourth challenge, the candidates were asked to identify and procure nine items in the cities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Things didn’t end too well for 30-year-old actor, presenter and entrepreneur Riyonn Farsad, who was sent home after being brought back to the boardroom by project manager Jemelin Artigas.

Following his firing, we spoke with Riyonn about his shock at being let go in week five, why he expected to be there until the end and his frustrations with Ryan-Mark Parsons.

Do you think it’s fair Lord Sugar fired you?

No, I don’t think it’s fair, but it’s one of those episodes where you watch it and you don’t really know who’s going to go. I’m obviously gutted, but it’s fine.

Were you surprised you were the one he picked out of the bottom three?

I was surprised considering what we had to do in the task – I definitely think I beat some of the other people who were in the bottom with me, but unfortunately he chose to fire me.

You must have expected it a little bit considering you’d lost five tasks in five weeks.

I understood where he was coming from [because] I was in the losing team five times, but I wasn’t the weakest link in the losing team every time. I fought my corner to the end, because I definitely don’t think he should have fired me.

Who do you think should have gone?

I personally think Ryan-Mark should have gone.

Why?

Because Ryan-Mark has just been floating through the process. He’s not been project manager or sub-team leader and doesn’t really do as much as he says he does, but somehow manages to get through week by week. Whereas everyone else is throwing themselves in there, he’s just sitting back. I don’t really like those people.

Were you surprised when he turned on you so viciously in the boardroom?

It wasn’t a surprise, because everyone does it really. We all have to fight our corner so you expect it when you’re in there. There are no grudges held – everyone is baying for blood, because everyone wants to stay.

How was Jemelin as a project manager?

She was fine as a project manager. Obviously there was a bit of a miscommunication with who was getting what items. I felt personally our team had all the hard ones – the rigger jigger, the snaffle – and they had eggs and apples. Where’s the fairness in that? I think she was fine, but maybe not correct for this exact one because she didn’t know the areas. But overall, I thought she was great.

What was it like watching back and realising you did get told what TOAD was? (It's a gin you can purchase at The Oxford Artisan Distillery).

After watching the episode, I can definitely see very clearly where I went wrong. [laughs] It was the hardest thing tracking down what those items were, so I think we got caught up in the moment and misheard it. Pamela told us flat out that the person [she spoke to on the phone] was wrong! I know it’s ridiculous, but that person told her it was vodka and it turned out to be gin, so whatever happened we were always going to lose.

Pamela escaped unscathed, really.

Looking back, if she had taken the blame for not hearing about the TOAD, she might have been in the bottom. But that kind of got rushed past, so she saved herself there.

Who was the hardest to work with?

It really changes task by task. Let’s just say that there’s no one in particular, but a lot of them.

Which candidate would you say is getting away with the most?

I don’t want to keep bringing him up, but I’ll say him again: Ryan-Mark. I can see a lot of people are getting through when they shouldn’t be getting through, but you’ve got to respect people for actually trying instead of trying to hold out to just get more airtime.

Who would you say the favourites to win currently are?

It honestly changes each week. For five weeks, I was saying myself. I’ll just say who I generally like: Thomas, Jemelin, Karina. I think they’re gonna go the slog.

Not Lottie?

I mean, Lottie will do Lottie throughout the process and wherever she gets, it’s on her. She’s beaten me, so I don’t know what they see.

What prompted you to apply in the first place?

I have a business called Middle Eastern Kitchen, which is a cooking sauce company. I launched it and thought, “I need to get on this show.” I’ve watched it every year; I’m one of those people who shouts, “I could do that!” So I wrote it up on my little new year’s resolution list, applied for it, went through the auditions and got it.

Do you have any regrets?

My only regrets were constantly putting myself forward as project manager and putting myself on the chopping block a bit too much. The toy task, too. I’m obviously really gutted that I’ve been kicked out, but looking back, I’m so grateful and proud that I don’t really have any regrets.

What’s next for you?

My main job is actor and presenter, so I will always continually be doing that. But I have my Middle Eastern Kitchen company and Auditions, which is my card game. I’m pushing both of those to whatever it can be while also focusing on the entertainment part of my life as well.

The Apprentice continues weekly Wednesdays on BBC One at 9pm