Fired Ben 'doesn't want media career'

Fired Apprentice candidate Ben Clarke has insisted that he doesn't want a media career.

Clarke's rivals Noorul Choudhury and Paula Jones criticised the 22-year-old stockbroker for being on the programme for the wrong reasons after they were booted off the show by Sir Alan Sugar.

Former science teacher Choudhury said that Clarke was obsessed by magazine deals, while Jones labelled him a "bully" and suggested that he may have rehearsed his one-liners for the cameras.

However, speaking about his future plans, Clarke claimed that his future lies in investment banking rather than celebrity magazine exclusives.

"My plans now are that I'd really like to go into investment banking," he told Radio 1. "I really hope that the investment banks have been keeping an eye out and thinking: 'Do you know what, maybe this guy's got something.'

"My view's definitely to go back into banking and certainly not media. If an investment bank did come along and say we'll put you on our grad scheme for £30,000, I would take that any day over a million pound media deal."

Meanwhile, the Belfast rugby fan also backed a female contestant to go on and win the show this year.

"You've got to look at the big ones, Debra, Kate and Yasmina," he said. "That's where the three horse race lies.

"Each one of those girls is absolutely outstanding in their own right and I'd be delighted to see any one of them win."