The Apprentice BBC star Dr Jana Denzel dramatically quits series after 'using racist language' during task - what did he say?
A star off BBC’s The Apprentice has reportedly quit the show after “using racist language”.
It has been reported that the cosmetic dentist candidate, Dr Jana Denzel, used the term 'coloured' to describe a black person during a task. The incident was said to have been reported to the show's producers and he was asked to do diversity training following the filming.
The next day, Dr Jana is said to have told Lord Sugar he was leaving - but said his exit was unrelated to the reaction from bosses. During scenes in the boardroom, Dr Jana told Lord Sugar he didn't feel he was a "good fit" and was leaving the process.
It is believed he used the term during a task which saw the team creating a character for a marketing campaign. Two female candidates were shocked by his comment and told show bosses. All 18 contestants had been given a warning about sensitive language during an earlier task too.
His exit is expected to air at the end of the fifth episode in two weeks time, and his "ill-informed comment" won't be explained on the show itself, but his exit scenes will air for viewers in a fortnight. A source told The Sun: "The team had been discussing what the character should look like, and there were suggestions from some members to make sure the character was inclusive. It was then that Jana made the “coloured comment”, which particularly upset two female candidates on his team.
“The team were particularly shocked because, coming from a minority background himself, they did not expect Jana to use such offensive language to describe their marketing campaign.” A spokesperson for the show said: "Jana withdrew from the process for completely unrelated and separate reasons, and he has our full support."
Of the use of the alleged term, the spokesperson said: "We were made aware of an ill-informed comment. As soon as it was flagged, we took swift and comprehensive action to address the issue. Whilst we have made it very clear to Jana that his use of language was not acceptable, we are confident there was no ill-intent behind it. The concerns of all parties involved have been addressed and resolved."