Lucinda Ledgerwood was booted from the penultimate episode of The Apprentice last night, before launching a stinging attack on Sir Alan Sugar's business empire and claiming her rivals behaviour had verged on bullying.

The latest candidate to be sacked called the headquarters of Sir Alan's business empire "bland" and said she was not disappointed to have missed out on the job with the tycoon, dismissing the role as a "sales" position.

Ledgerwood, 32, who had never seen the BBC1 show before she applied to be a contestant, was fired a week before the final show in the fourth series.

She criticised the behaviour of the other candidates towards her, saying their actions should have been addressed in the boardroom.

Sir Alan told the blonde former risk manager she was "too zany" when he fired her.

Ledgerwood, who lives in Edinburgh, said: "The right decision was made. I was pleased to have gone. At that point I'd had enough. It wouldn't have been right for me to have been located in the middle of nowhere in a bland office environment. I'm not going to be disappointed that I'm not going to be a sales person."

She said: "I would certainly say that I was targeted [by the other candidates]. I didn't have an easy time. I would certainly not condone the behaviour of the majority of them. I wasn't liked. My accent wasn't liked and what I wore wasn't liked.

"On occasions it was verging on bullying. I do not advocate bullying or bitchiness. You don't need to resort to that.

"People's behaviour should be addressed in the boardroom. In the real business world it would not be tolerated, people would be dismissed or given a warning."

She added: "The boys paired up and I was an easy scapegoat. But I don't regret going on the show. I've learnt not to be so naive, not to wear colour if you want to blend in.

Of her rival, Helene Speight, who she has clashed with in the series, she said: "I don't think I know anyone who would want to work for her."

Asked who she tipped to win, she said: "Claire Young is probably the most capable."

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