Apprentice reject: 'I couldn't believe what I said'

The Apprentice evictee Nicholas de Lacy-Brown has told Newsbeat he "couldn't believe" some of the things he said during his time on the show. He also revealed what he thought of the other contestants.

Explain what it feels like to be the first person to be evicted?

In one respect it's a sense of relief because I found myself very much a fish out of water and I found myself uncomfortable in those surroundings.

On the other hand it is a disappointment partially for myself because obviously it's a unique experience and I wanted to experience as much of it as possible. But also for the people who were supporting me, all the people who texted and messaged me.

I felt sorry for them because I didn't want them to feel like I'd let them down. But for me I didn't find myself suitable for a job with Sir Alan. It kind of really took the shock of seeing him, meeting him and doing a task to realise that.

What was that day like for you?

It was an extremely tiring, traumatic and stressful day.

It was very early in the morning when we went into the boardroom and we had no idea what was going on. That was the first time we'd met each other, we didn't know each other and we thought we'd go in there and have a champagne reception after this, back in the house.

But Sir Alan was just like, 'We're starting now'. My heart was thumping and probably everybody else's was as well.

Then of course we were thrown right into the task not knowing each other which made it difficult because we weren't really aware of who had which skills. We didn't have time to discuss it and play social niceties with each other.

Did it worry you that a lot of people watch the show to laugh at you and all the other apprentices?

Not at all because I laugh at myself. When I saw the episode of me recently, I was in hysterics about it. I couldn't believe some of the stuff I said not only in the boardroom but also in the audition stages.

But the thing is you've got to realise everyone knows what The Apprentice is like and to get in you have to be an arrogant self promoting so and so. Otherwise you don't get in.

That is not neccessarily our true selves. I certainly might have appeared arrogant but normally I'm more self assertive. There is an element of sartorial mimicking of the series because you are portrayed as characters. I'm going to be the toffish, quite stylish slightly arrogant quite out of my depth character. But that's fine. I don't take myself too seriously but a lot of the other candidates do.

What did you think of the other characters?

I think Simon is a nice guy, he just kind of gets down to it. He is different from me but I didn't not get on with him. Ian, I didn't see much of. I didn't find him fantastically amenable.

Tycoon Sir Alan Sugar and his team on The Apprentice

Obviously I had issues with Alex because he caused my demise but that's the nature of the game. I don't hold anything against him personally. I just hold something professionally against him because he was my competition and he stabbed the wound and screwed it tight right at the end.

Kevin was a fairly unremarkable character. He was quite arrogant, I'm not sure why. Michael was very cocky.

He thinks he's a bit of a charmer, a bit of a hit with the ladies but I'm not convinced.

Raef is lovely. He is a really nice guy. He is hilarious. I know he is going to get the p*** taken out of him as I have for being a toff. He is the true toff of the series.

Sir Alan is pretty much as you see him on TV. He is a brash, difficult to please, he is pedantic. I was disappointed that he was unable with foresight to see that somebody with my academic background could have been successful.

Explain the addition to your name because I believe your real name is Nick Brown?

Legally it's de Lacy-Brown. I changed it six years ago. My grandmother's name is de Lacy and my grandfather's is Brown. I just thought to succeed in the world of London, to be either a lawyer or an artist or whatever I wanted to do, I was never going to succeed as Nick Brown. I thought as a family name just add it on. A lot of people do it.

Surely though your talent and your brilliance is enough to succeed?

The name has got me far. It got me onto The Apprentice didn't it?