'Bit of a k**b' Ben Clarke

Thursday, 21 May 2009

Ben Clarke says he made a "bit of a k**b" of himself on 'The Apprentice'.

The trainee stockbroker was fired from the BBC business reality show last night (20.05.09), but admits he only has himself to blame.

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Ben said: "I was very inexperienced, it was more of a defence mechanism than anything. I thought I did all right.

"I made a bit of a k**b of myself and I am too young and immature. But I'm happy I made week nine out of twelve."

The 22-year-old- who previously claimed making money was "better than sex" on the show - said he lost out after becoming obsessed with winning the prize of a job with the show's presenter Sir Alan Sugar which comes with a £100,000 salary.

Ben explained: "I think one of my problems was that I really put the blinkers on. I'm in a big, ruthless competition and I'm going to cut everyone apart to get there.

"Realistically, that shrouds some of your real skills and your real talent."

In last night's task, the two teams had to pick products to sell at a London baby fair.

Ben joined Debra Barr, James McQuillan and Yasmina Siadatan in team Empire, who sold rocking horses and a home birthing pool, making sales of £722.

Rival team Ignite - Lorraine Tighe, Howard Ebison and Kate Walsh - decided on a pushchair and protective helmets for toddlers, selling more than £1,600 of stock.

Sir Alan criticised Empire for picking the rocking horses, which cost £1,700 - £4,000, saying few people would buy such an expensive item on the spot.

Debra and Ben were taken back into the boardroom by project manager James after failing to sell any of the rocking horses.

After airing his annoyance at Ben's constant references during the series to winning a scholarship to military college Sandhurst, Sir Alan finally fired him.

Ben said: "I didn't really have a hell of a lot on my CV compared to those guys who had 10 or 15 years of experience on me.

"A big thing on their CV might be a promotion, a big thing on my CV would be a scholarship at Sandhurst."