Viewers of the hit BBC show The Apprentice got a surprise on Thursday night after bridal boutique owner Shannon Martin announced to Lord Alan Sugar that she had decided to bow out of the competition after deciding that the show wasn’t the right environment for her.
Explaining her reasons behind leaving the show, she explained: "During the bao bun task, I was there in the kitchen thinking ‘Why am I here? What am I doing here making bao buns in a kitchen when I can’t cook as it is?’.
WATCH: Shannon Martin talks leaving The Apprentice
"I just really felt like I couldn’t focus on the tasks because I was constantly thinking about what was going on at home. What’s happening with the business? Is everything okay? I knew in the back of my mind that of course everything would be okay, the team are amazing. But I’m a perfectionist."
Shannon spoke about the bao challenge
She added: "I need to know what’s going on all the time and not being able to know how things were going on at home or what was happening at work was really hard for me. The unknown is definitely not something I’m good at. The more I thought about it, the more I thought, ‘Am I in here for the right reasons? Do I really want a business partner? Is this what I want? Do I want my life to change?’"
MORE: The Apprentice: Where is Claude Littner? Real reason he's not on the show
MORE: Lord Sugar ditches former The Apprentice winner weeks after latest series ends
Taking to Twitter to discuss her decision, one person wrote: "Shocked that Shannon has decided to leave the process! I thought for sure that she would have made it to the final… the bridal industry is such big business, I reckon Lord Sugar would’ve wanted a piece of that wedding cake! But reality TV isn’t for everyone," while another person wrote: "Lots of respect for Shannon tbf. Recognising it was not the environment for her and removing herself from the situation. Good for her."
Like this story? Sign up to our What to Watch newsletter and get the heads-up on the shows and films everyone’s talking about.