Fired Rick Monk brands Apprentice rival ‘an actor’ after boardroom back-stabbing

Rick Monk is devastated rival Kurran Pooni stayed on The Apprentice after throwing him “under the bus”.

Lancashire quality controller Monk was fired by Lord Sugar and has raged against Pooni, who he has branded an “actor” taking part in the show for the wrong reasons.

Monk, 33, was part of Team Collaborative, which lost the task to design and sell a piece of women’s footwear.

Their “Fleekies Out Out” did not impress either potential buyers, Lord Sugar or members of the team itself.

Monk has said the barrage of criticism exchanged between candidates in the boardroom is accepted and “not personal” – but he did take exception to his teammate’s attack.

He said:  “I wasn’t best happy about it. Kurran definitely threw me under the bus. I was certain it would have been him going.

“He is in the process for the wrong reasons. It’s like he’s just playing a game or just acting. He says he wants to be an actor so maybe he is.

“I personally think Kurran’s time is well up. It would be nice for him to go.”

Monk has said the perceived backstabbing in the boardroom, with candidates laying the blame for failure on their own teammates, is an accepted part of the process.

He said: “In the boardroom it is cut-throat. You will do anything to save your own skin.

“I’ve got to appreciate that other people are going to do it to me as well. We’re all businesspeople, we do understand that there’s business and there’s pleasure. There is nothing personal in it.

“You don’t have time to be offended. You’re on to the next task.

Monk added on what happens when the candidates return to their shared home: “There’s no going to the pub. There’s no TV, radio, no newspapers, no crossword, no family photos – no anything.

“They keep you in that mindset so that you don’t lost focus.”

Monk would “love it” if fellow Lancastrian Camilla Ainsworth won The Apprentice, adding it would also be a safe bet for Jackie Fast to be hired.