Outspoken Khadija makes impact on show Candidate ‘cringes’ at her TV moment as she watches with a curry
Apprentice contestant Khadija Kalifa has successfully made it into the second week of the BBC One show despite the girls team losing.
The Stamford entrepreneur, who runs a cleaning business, made her first appearance during the programme which aired on Wednesday.
The 16 contestants were divided into two teams of males and females and were tasked by business magnate Sir Alan Sugar to fly to Malta and buy nine items at the best prices.
The programme opened with Khadija, who last year won the Businessperson of the Year prize at the Mercury Business Awards, saying: “My eldest daughter wants a swimming pool in the back garden. I’m here to make sure that happens.”
Although the girls team bought more of the items, they spent more and were fined for not making it back to base in time. Khadija led several of the negotiations as part of the sub-team buying items in a market in Malta.
She even negotiated buying a blind they needed from the wall of a shop that wasn’t for sale.
The girls team lost the task but Khadija escaped being brought back to the boardroom by project manager Jasmine and it was Sarah that was fired.
The programme is still available to view on BBC iPlayer.
Khadija watched the first episode at home with her family - ordering in a
curry.
Writing yesterday just minutes before the Mercury went to press, she shares her experiences of the first task in Malta and what it’s like to be appearing on a popular television
show.
“Malta, such a lovely place, although I didn’t really get to see much of it in the motion of it all. Watching last night was pretty mental, me, on telly! What?! I was even recognised by a parent on the school run this morning...It’s going to take some time to get used to this.
I’ve received a lot of compliments today about how I held my own and stood up for what was right, which is amazing. I feel so proud, as that’s how I’ve always been and in the past I’ve often felt ashamed to be this way and wishing I was able to just bite my own tongue! Clearly I can’t!
The support I’ve received has been great and I purposely refuse to look at any negativity... I’m a glass half full remember.
Sorayah (my four-year-old daughter) watched a bit of Mummy on telly with us last night and we ordered our staple curry. Her little face lit up, asking me to rewind so she could see Mummy again.
I still am in awe of Lord Sugar, Claude and Karren, just as much as I was before. I can’t wait to watch next week as I’m still a huge fan of the show even if I do cringe at some of my own
moments!
Make sure you watch next Wednesday BBC at 9pm, no spoilers, but I feel that it’s going to be great!”