Worthing’s Melica Moshiri is fired on The Apprentice

Melica Moshiri, from Worthing, said she enjoyed the gruelling process despite the “intense” filming hours and even liked being stripped of her phone during her eight-week stint.

The businesswoman got the axe during tonight’s episode of the 19th series of the hit BBC show after fellow candidates described her as “disruptive” during the challenge to make, create the branding for and film a TV advert for hot sauce.

Fellow candidate Emma Street also got the chop during the double firing.

“No one feels good being fired, but Lord Sugar did say to me he was going with his gut and he could be making the wrong decision,” said Melica, who runs AI tech recruitment business Skill Torch.

BBC/Naked/Ray Burmiston (Image: BBC/Naked/Ray Burmiston) Ms Moshiri said she believes had the whole team been brought back into the boardroom she would not have been the right person to be fired.

She said the failure of the task lay with the sub team – Jordan Dargan and Anisa Khan – who made the claggy sauce, which Ms Moshiri said “did taste very nice”.

“I didn’t make the hot sauce,” she said.

“I did go on about the drama GCSE which was unnecessary.”

Ms Moshiri is very proud to have even got onto the show, beating 80,000 applicants for a spot.

“To get chosen and then spend two months on the show is amazing,” she said.

“I was on it for a long time.

“I am proud.

“I really enjoyed it.”

Ms Moshiri took on a wide range of challenges during her time on the show and led her team to victory during episode five with her green log Easter egg.

Lord Sugar examining the chocolate log (Image: BBC) She wishes she could have clung on a bit longer to reach the interview stage, however.

The interviews see the business plans of the remaining candidates grilled by some of Lord Alan Sugar’s trusted advisors Mike Soutar, Linda Plant, Claudine Collins and Claude Littner.

Asked what she would have done differently, the 32-year-old said she wishes she had perhaps thought more before speaking, although, she said, she would not have come across as “bubbly” as she did.

And on those claims of being “disruptive”, she said: “Being disruptive is not always a bad thing.

“If you want to put ideas across you have to be disruptive.”

She said a lot happens behind the scenes of the show, which she said sees candidates filming each episode over two days from 3am to 4am until 9pm.

“There is so much that happens behind the scenes,” she said.

“It’s a business show and an entertainment show.”

Ms Moshiri managed eight weeks on the show (Image: Supplied) Following the process, Ms Moshiri said she is more open to saying yes to things and is excited to focus on her business.

She has also been doing a range of events with more planned.

Most recently, she went to her old school, Davison CE High School for Girls in Worthing, to give a talk.

“I want to inspire and give back,” she said.

Going into the show, Ms Moshiri wanted Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment to recruit more staff for Skill Torch and to explore new tech markets.

She also wanted his mentorship.

Ms Moshiri said the support during the show’s airing has been “incredible” from those in Brighton and her hometown.

She has also learned a lot about herself from the process.

“I’ve learned I can function without my phone,” she said.

“I did not miss my phone at all.

“And being in a room full of very competitive and talented people I feel very privileged.

“I’ve always been resilient but the show taught me just how resilient I am.”