Roxanne Hamedi, a pharmacist from Aberdeen, became the fifth contestant to be fired from the latest series of The Apprentice after a dramatic episode that left viewers and candidates alike reeling. The episode, which aired on February 19, 2026, tasked teams with creating and marketing a new bottled water brand—an assignment that proved far more challenging than it first appeared. Candidates were not only responsible for branding and packaging but also had to sell their products live on social media and produce a television advert, all under the watchful eyes of Lord Alan Sugar and a surprise guest judge, rapper Big Zuu.
From the outset, the pressure was on. The teams scrambled to come up with catchy names, eye-catching logos, and compelling pitches. Hamedi, stepping up as sub-team leader for branding, was eager to prove herself. "I wanted to get out of my comfort zone and take that risk," she later reflected, according to BBC. Yet, as the day wore on, cracks began to show, and the branding decisions started to unravel.
Team Alpha, led by business owner Conor Galvin, struggled to find a clear direction. Their bottled water was supposedly targeted at commuters, but the branding told a different story—mountains, a compass, and the word "North" dominated the packaging, leaving judges confused about the intended audience. Lord Sugar did not mince words in the boardroom, declaring, "The logo looks like a road sign on the M6. North has gone south, obviously." He went further, lambasting the team's advert as "boring" and saying it "looks like a 10-year-old made it on his iPhone," as reported by Press Association.
Meanwhile, Team Eclipse, under the leadership of Karishma Vijay, soared to victory. Their advert, featuring Kieran McCartney shirtless and boxing, managed to grab attention and deliver a clear message. The contrast between the two teams could not have been starker.
Adding a twist to the proceedings, rapper Big Zuu made a cameo as a guest judge. Known for his sustainable canned water brand, Big Zuu brought expertise and a sharp eye for marketing. Ironically, Team Alpha criticized canned water in their pitch, unaware that two of the judges, including Big Zuu, owned canned water brands. This misstep further undermined their credibility and highlighted a lack of research—another point Lord Sugar was quick to seize upon.
When the dust settled, Hamedi found herself in the firing line alongside Galvin and Rajan Gill, a pharmaceutical sales specialist who had also been brought into the boardroom after a disastrous pitch. Despite her efforts, Lord Sugar placed the blame for the branding failures squarely on Hamedi's shoulders. "Roxanne, I think you have a lot to answer to. My gut feeling is that Roxanne, you’re fired," he announced, trusting his instincts in what he saw as a clear-cut decision.
Hamedi was visibly disappointed by the outcome. "It didn’t feel good to be fired, just because I didn’t think that I deserved to be. There was a lot going on that day and I feel like other people lacked accountability," she told The Irish News. She went on to say, "I don’t regret being a sub-team lead, but I just feel like my time was cut short in the process." Hamedi also pointed fingers at Galvin, suggesting he should have been the one to go: "I feel like he did throw me under the bus because I was just an easy scapegoat."
Reflecting on her boardroom performance, Hamedi admitted, "I guess I could have fought more in the boardroom, you know, called Rajan out on his lack of input, or reminded Lord Sugar that I’d taken creative risks and didn’t hide in the background. But I didn’t want it to come down to begging or being the loudest or most apologetic person in the room. I stayed true to myself and that takes integrity." Despite her departure, Hamedi remains confident in her abilities and her business acumen. "I’m sad that Lord Sugar didn’t believe in me, but I back myself 100%. I’ve got a lucrative business and I can’t wait to prove Lord Sugar wrong," she said.
Had she won, Hamedi planned to expand her beauty brand specializing in combating hair loss. The £250,000 investment prize, along with the opportunity to work alongside Lord Sugar, was a significant motivator for all contestants. "If I had won the programme, I would have expanded my business, a beauty brand specialising in combating hair loss," she confirmed, as reported by BBC and Press Association.
The episode was a reminder of how high the stakes are on The Apprentice. Each week, candidates are pushed to their limits, forced to adapt quickly, and held accountable for every decision. Lord Sugar’s approach is famously direct, and this week was no exception. He praised Galvin’s "spirit and determination" but warned that he needs to focus in future tasks. The message was clear: no one is safe, and every detail counts.
For viewers, the episode offered plenty of drama and a few laughs—especially from Lord Sugar’s one-liners and the creative chaos of the advertising challenge. The presence of Big Zuu added another layer of intrigue, especially given the teams’ missteps around canned water. It was a classic Apprentice episode: unpredictable, competitive, and full of lessons for anyone interested in business or branding.
As the competition heats up, the remaining candidates will no doubt be taking Lord Sugar’s criticisms to heart. The next episode promises more high-pressure tasks and, inevitably, more boardroom showdowns. The Apprentice returns on BBC One next Thursday at 9pm, with the £250,000 investment and a partnership with Lord Sugar still up for grabs. For Roxanne Hamedi, it’s the end of the road on the show, but perhaps just the beginning of a new chapter in her entrepreneurial journey.