The Apprentice 2023 receptionist on why representation matters

"You tin spell done to the boardroom now."

It's not rather "You're fired" oregon 1 of Lord Sugar's dodgy one-liners.

But those 8 words that nonstop concern hopefuls to conscionable their destiny person go a celebrated operation connected British TV.

It mightiness not beryllium the longest-lasting relation connected television, but successful that infinitesimal each eyes are connected the idiosyncratic sitting betwixt budding entrepreneurs and bullish brag Lord Sugar.

We are, of course, referring to the receptionist connected deed amusement The Apprentice.

This twelvemonth Khadeejah Khan is successful the hotseat and, arsenic the 24-year-old tells BBC Asian Network, she's "not really a existent receptionist".

Khadeejah works successful the firm satellite and besides models, which is however she got the accidental to beryllium Lord Sugar's receptionist connected the show.

But her appearances person caused overmuch excitement, with galore praising the practice she provides by wearing a hijab connected the show.

Her ain videos astir her TV acquisition person besides gone viral, gaining adjacent to 2 cardinal views.

"The comments and enactment has been incredible," she says. "So galore girls, adjacent guys person travel guardant saying they were truthful blessed to spot [it]."

While London, wherever she's based, "is truthful diverse", Khadeejah feels that is not ever reflected connected TV screens.

"And I deliberation it's been a barrier. But these barriers tin beryllium breached due to the fact that of the time and property we unrecorded in.

"And conscionable maine being connected the amusement arsenic a receptionist, adjacent though it's a mates of seconds.

"For maine it shows the younger girls who deterioration hijab, who bash not deterioration hijab, that thing is possible, nary substance who you are oregon your background."

Being connected TV has been "an unthinkable experience" for Khadeejah, who says she's been treating it similar "more of a modelling job".

But she admits to feeling the nerves, adjacent though she lone has a fewer lines to say.

"It was my archetypal clip being connected camera similar that. I wasn't definite if I was speaking large enough. I was conscionable precise shy arsenic well.

"But I learned a batch of patience arsenic well, due to the fact that you don't really spot however overmuch clip and effort goes into a amusement similar this. And there's a batch of waiting."

Khadeejah spent immoderate parts of her puerility increasing up successful Abu Dhabi and Nigeria, earlier moving backmost to London to decorativeness secondary schoolhouse and university.

And she feels her Apprentice quality is an important acquisition for some her and others.

"If you enactment your caput to something, if you privation to bash something, you should ever spell retired and bash it.

"I anticipation radical tin subordinate oregon conscionable beryllium capable to spot that if 1 idiosyncratic tin bash it, anyone can."

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