Joe Phillips: The Apprentice exit explained, is he going on Love Island - what’s next after Lord Sugar firing?

Joe Phillips was the latest candidate to be fired from the hit reality TV series The Apprentice. The South African safari guide worker failed to impress Lord Alan Sugar or the judges during the most recent task in Dubai.

Phillips is now the eight candidate to leave the show as the search for Sugar’s next business partner intensifies. Phillips admitted at the time that he was surprised to be leaving at such an early stage and claimed he was so confident of securing a victory in the Dubai task that he “didn’t bother packing” his bag.

But why was Joe Phillips fired from The Apprentice and is he likely to appear on TV in the near future? Here is everything you need to know.

Why was Joe Phillips fired?

Joe Phillips was the latest contestant to lose out on Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment.

Phillips and his team were sent to Dubai and handed the task of planning a corporate away day for a number of international clients. After failing to impress, Joe was brought back into the boardroom and sent home by Sugar.

Joe Phillips admitted he was shocked to exit the process at such an early stage and felt his team had done enough to secure victory in the task.

Reflecting on his exit he said: “Dubai was the one task that I didn’t bother packing my bag. Because I was so confident that our team had won the task that I didn’t bother packing my bag. So I was massively shocked when the team asked for a 60% refund, that’s unheard of!

“And that’s what caused us to lose the task, being a profit-based task, so I was a bit shocked, yeah.”

What next for Joe Phillips?

Phillips has reflected positively on his experience on the programme and confirmed that he is keen to appear on TV again in the near future.

He said: “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with TV, and I think it’s such a fantastic thing to do.”

Phillips, who works as a safari guide in South Africa, admitted that it is his dream to appear in a wildlife documentary at some point in his life.

The 28-year-old said: “Ever since I was younger, Sir David Attenborough has been my hero. And I’ve got a background in zoology, ethology and working in South Africa as a safari guide, so it’s been my absolute dream to be a wildlife documentary presenter, then I get to combine my passions of nature and TV work.

“If there is an opportunity to present some wildlife documentary show, I’m going to grab it with both hands.”

Is Joe Phillips going on Love Island?

During the first episode of The Apprentice, Phillips described himself as the “James Bond” of the business world and he also regularly promotes fitness on his Instagram page.

Since leaving The Apprentice, many people have asked Phillips whether he would appear on reality TV show Love Island in the near future to which he has responded: “I’ve had a lot of messages and people saying ‘would you ever go on Love Island’ it’s hard to say.

“I can neither confirm nor deny, but I am single! Never say never.”