Axed The Apprentice star reveals secret ‘pressure’ on candidates to ‘perform’ for cameras despite high-pressured tasks
THE Apprentice candidate Paul Bowen saw his dreams come crashing down as he became the second candidate to be eliminated from the show.
The pie business owner failed to hit the sweet spot after a disastrous stint attempting to flog chocolate mini-cheesecakes to fruit and veg advocates, Innocent Drinks.
Paul, from Lancashire, took on the role of sub-team leader but he failed to impress in the role which led to Lord Alan Sugar firing him from the boardroom.
Despite hoping to impress with his business acumen, Paul admitted after his exit from the show that he felt 'pressure' to come across in a certain light.
Having portrayed himself as a 'class clown', Lord Sugar referred to him as a "bull in a china shop" and insisted that he spent most of his time "joking around".
When asked if he felt pressured to showcase a certain personality to television viewers whilst trying to prove how serious he was as a businessman, Paul told The Sun: "Yes, exactly that!
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"You know, I am a funny, comedy guy and I like to have fun.
"All my decisions were business-based decisions but chat - I love a laugh!"
He went on to add: "You know, being from up North and being down South, there is some different humour there.
"I don't think he [Lord Sugar] quite got my humour but I just kept on trying and trying."
Elsewhere, Paul admitted that he felt he was the right candidate to be fired after realising he made a few error's along the way.
He added to The Sun and other press: "It was me that obviously pushed for chocolate [in the task].
"I would have liked for Lord Sugar to have seen why I did it and I think that if I'd have fought my corner a little harder, which maybe I should have done, I wouldn't have been fired but it was my fault, so off I went!"
Paul, owner of Bowen Pies, was one of two pie business owners on the show with him going head to head against rival Phil in the boardroom.
However, he was quick to shut down any thoughts that he had been targeted as part of a 'vendetta' by Phil to get his biggest business rival axed.
Laughing off any speculation, Paul said: "Phil's a really good guy and I've got a lot of respect for Phil and he was just being a project manager and he brought me back in as it was clear to see that I'd made the mistakes!"
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