Apprentice contestant ‘suicidal and spent £500-a-week on cocaine’
A contestant on The Apprentice said he used to spend £500 a week on cocaine and was “suicidal” amid struggles with his mental health.
Kieran McCartney, 27, said he did not use the illegal drug during the filming of the BBC show featuring Lord Sugar.
The estate agent said he began using drugs after his father died aged 43 in 2022 and his mental health was in a “bad way”.
Mr McCartney told The Sun: “When my dad died, I was quite depressed. I was in a bad way. I kind of turned to drink, drugs. I was a bit suicidal.
“I went off the rails for about six months.
“I liked beer and a bit of coke. But I realised it wasn’t good for me and I got myself out of that hole.”
Asked how much money he used to spend on cocaine, Mr McCartney said: “I could have been doing like £400 a week — £500 a week. I’m a lot better off now.”
Mr McCartney, who worked in Limehouse, east London, said he would message cocaine dealers from his company’s work phone — before and after appearing on the BBC show.
The estate agent said he completely stopped using cocaine months after filming concluded so he could focus on his business.
He added: “The Apprentice was an amazing experience — mentally very stressful. But I’m in a good place now. It didn’t even cross my mind once. I would have loved a beer, absolutely. It was summertime. It was hot.
“But drugs? No. Definitely not. I had about 200 cigarettes on me when I went into the house. That was it.”
The winner of the latest series of The Apprentice will be awarded £250,000 of investment into their company and the opportunity to go into business with Lord Sugar.