According to the Daily Star, the 29-year-old retail buyer tried several times to qualify for the Channel 4 reality show.
A work colleague said: "Claire’s a real larger-than-life character who is desperate for fame. I wasn’t at all surprised to see her land a place on The Apprentice - she’s a real go-getter.
"But since getting on The Apprentice she’s been desperate to keep her Big Brother efforts a secret.
"The last thing she wants is for Sir Alan to discover she’s a fame-seeker."
