Irish candidate fired from The Apprentice after task creating virtual pop stars

By Casey Cooper-Fiske, PA Entertainment Reporter

Irish beauty salon owner Aoibheann Walsh has been fired from the latest series of BBC’s The Apprentice show after contestants were challenged to create a virtual holographic pop star and record a song and music video.

Co Donegal’s Walsh was fired on the BBC business show by Alan Sugar, who said he had not “heard much” from her so far, with last week’s challenge seeing the contestants tasked with selling holiday tours in Austria.

In Thursday’s episode, Amber-Rose Badrudin headed one team and chose to create a rap duo called Fred and Nadz, while the other team led by Anisa Khan, who previously led her team to defeat in the last episode, decided to create a female pop singer called Bami.

The Apprentice 2025
Aoibheann Walsh has been fired from The Apprentice (Ray Burmiston/BBC/PA) Photo by Ray Burmiston/Naked/BBC

The sacking decision was between salon firm owner Nadia Suliaman, team leader Badrudin and Walsh, with Lord Sugar and his advisers Baroness Brady and Tim Campbell eventually deciding to fire Walsh.

At the end of the episode, Lord Sugar said in the boardroom: “On balance, Aoibheann, I don’t think in the last two tasks I’ve actually heard much from you or seen you do much. So, I’m sorry to say, Aoibheann, you’re fired.”

In the taxi afterwards, Co Donegal-based Walsh said: “I’m a little disappointed that I didn’t really get the opportunity to shine.

“I do wish I did speak out a little more and if I did, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here right now.”

It comes after Emma Rothwell became the first candidate to be fired by Lord Sugar in last week’s episode.