The Apprentice's race row rages as Jemelin Artigas is fired
‘White privilege is real here!’ The Apprentice’s race row rages on as Jemelin Artigas becomes the SEVENTH ethnic candidate to be fired while controversial Lottie Lion stays
- WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR EPISODE 7 OF THE APPRENTICE 2019
- Shahin Hassan, Kenna Ngoma, Souleyman Bah, Lubna Farhan, Riyonn Farsad and Iasha Masoon have all been fired in previous weeks
- Lottie Lion, 19, is still a candidate, despite coming under criticism for telling fellow contestant Lubna to ‘Shut up Gandhi’ and ‘I’ll f*** you up’ in a WhatsApp group conversation
- The Apprentice airs on BBC One on Wednesdays at 9PM
The Apprentice viewers have continued to rage after Jemelin Artigas became the seventh black and minority ethnic candidate to be axed.
On Wednesday night’s episode, viewers were left appalled after the Venezuelan-native was fired by Lord Sugar – while 19-year-old Lottie Lion, who is known for her confrontational behaviour and has been accused of behind-the-scenes racism – was able to stay due to being in the winning team.
Following the firings of Shahin, Kenna, Souleyman, Lubna, Riyonn and Iasha, many fumed that Jemelin ‘didn’t deserve to be fired’, claiming that her sacking was ‘white privilege at work.’
‘ALL ethnic candidates has gone!’ The Apprentice viewers have continued to rage after Jemelin Artigas became the seventh black and minority ethnic candidate to be axed
Viewers couldn’t resist observing the lack of BAME contestants left on this series of The Apprentice, as they took to Twitter:
‘Just an observation: ALL the ethnic candidates have GONE (including Jemelin). This is some foul sh*t this year. #TheApprentice.’
‘It’s time to stop watching the apprentice now…. just look at the pattern in the first 7 weeks. Unconcious bias training would be a start! Compounded by Lottie’s racist rant and you’ve got to start asking questions. Someone? Anyone? #TheApprentice2019.’
‘Jemelin did not deserve to go, white privilege is real here. #TheApprentice.’
‘If you want to see the process of racism in employment played out on a reality TV show, watch #TheApprentice. Yet another strong, competent person of colour, Jemelin, fired when up against white people – one of which, Ryan-Mark, is overtly pathetic as a candidate.’
Furious! On Wednesday’s episode, viewers were left appalled after the Venezuelan-native was fired by Lord Sugar over Lottie Lion (pictured), who is known for her confrontational behaviour and has been accused of behind-the-scenes racism
‘White privilege’: Following the firings of Shahin, Kenna, Souleyman, Lubna, Riyonn and Iasha, many fumed that Jemelin ‘didn’t deserve to be fired’
‘JEMELIN DID NOT DESERVE THAT WTF THIS SHOW IS RACIST#TheApprentice.’
‘This is ridiculous. Jemelin didn’t deserve to go.#TheApprentice.’
‘Nah Lord Sugar’s bias towards firing ethnic minorities is becoming more than a bit of a jokey coincidence. How did Jemelin take the buck for that task?! Ryan Mark ain’t done anything all series.. bit suspect #TheApprentice.’
Many were not pleased that Lottie was still a candidate after coming under criticism for telling fellow contestant Lubna to ‘Shut up Gandhi’ and ‘I’ll f*** you up’ in a WhatsApp group conversation.
Lion denies accusations of racism, bullying and homophobia, claiming that Miss Farhan had misquoted Gandhi and made a cruel comment about a friend who had died.
Controversy: Many were not pleased that Lottie was still a candidate, despite coming under criticism for telling contestant Lubna to ‘Shut up Gandhi’ in a WhatsApp group conversation
The BBC said of the spat: ‘Her comments were wholly unacceptable.’
This comes after the feisty entrepreneur Jemelin revealed at the end of Wednesday night’s edition of The Apprentice that she was once homeless.
The 35-year-old dropped the bombshell as she was taxied out of the process, having fallen sway to Lord Sugar’s firing finger in the seventh episode of the current season.
And speaking exclusively to MailOnline following this, the Venezuelan-native – who relocated to the UK when she was 16 – elaborated on the extent of her troubled past.
Feisty: Jemelin revealed at the end of Wednesday night’s edition of The Apprentice that she was once homeless
‘I was on my own when I came to London, and barely spoke any English,’ she revealed. ‘I had to sleep rough at one point. I was with a guy – my first serious boyfriend – but when that ended I was homeless. Now look at me!’
Jemelin is proud of how far she has come as a Network Marketing executive and now a former-Apprentice candidate.
‘Things were really bad when I was homeless, because it was January. We had the biggest snow storm and I had to sleep on the Tube or on buses. I was only 17 then, living on the streets of London.’
Jemelin admitted that she wanted to do well in business ‘to inspire other immigrants and other Latinos to be successful’ and to motivate ‘people from the community and those from non-privileged backgrounds’.
Doubts: ‘I couldn’t see myself as his business partner anymore,’ she said. ‘I am all about positivity and empowering people and I just don’t feel that I was jamming or vibing with Lord Sugar’
Achievement: Jemelin is proud of how far she has come as a Network Marketing executive and now a former-Apprentice candidate
The eldest of three sisters, she claims she was ‘made to be an adult at age 11’, given that she had to help at home while her mother went out to work to feed the family.
Jemelin admits she was starting to doubt her compatibility with Lord Sugar as the weeks went on, however.
‘I couldn’t see myself as his business partner anymore,’ she said. ‘I am all about positivity and empowering people and I just don’t feel that I was jamming or vibing with Lord Sugar.
‘He is an old-fashioned businessman – which is fine. But I think there was a little too much negativity. I don’t mean the entire process, I just mean sometimes. But you need to be able to work alongside someone you go into business with for a long time and I’m not sure I could have. I so still respect Lord Sugar though’
Leave! One candidate she believes should be axed next is Ryan-Mark Parsons
Fond: She also believes that Thomas Skinner is ‘incredible but unemployable’
Jemelin believes she had ‘so much more to give’ and that her ‘credibility was overlooked’.
She went on: ‘I wear my heart on my sleeve. I am kind and respectful. I am not attention-seeking. There were people on the show just trying to get air time.’
Unwilling to name and shame, she added: ‘I wasn’t shy, I was myself. But there was no game-playing. I think I have too many morals.’
She went on: ‘I wear my heart on my sleeve. I am kind and respectful. I am not attention-seeking. There were people on the show just trying to get air time’
Not right: Jemelin admits she was starting to doubt her compatibility with Lord Sugar as the weeks went on
One candidate she believes should be axed next is Ryan-Mark Parsons.
‘He needs to leave ASAP!’ she declared. ‘I can say that because I worked with him a lot. He needs to go next!’
She also believes that Carina Lepore and Lewis Ellis are ‘down to Earth’ and that Thomas Skinner is ‘incredible but unemployable’.
‘He just needs to be his own boss, not work for someone else,’ she elaborated fondly.
Onwards: Jemelin is moving forward with her business idea – an app aimed at revolutionising the trade show and exhibitions industry
Jemelin is moving forward with her business idea – an app aimed at revolutionising the trade show and exhibitions industry.
And she retains that her tough background only helps her with her ambitions and drive.
‘It was also helpful in the scary boardroom!’ she added.
The Apprentice airs on BBC One on Wednesdays at 9PM.
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