Apprentice star compares Lord Sugar to her dad saying it calmed her nerves

The final four candidates are gearing up to impress Lord Sugar, as the penultimate episode of The Apprentice gets underway tonight.

Over the past 10 weeks, the candidates have both failed and succeeded to design a series of products – from video games, to toothbrushes and non-alcoholic drinks.

While many have met the end of Lord Sugar's firing finger, the final four – Stephanie Affleck, Brittany Carter, Kathryn Burn and Harpreet Kaur – are now competing for investment from the business icon.

Speaking ahead of the penultimate episode of The Apprentice, finalist Stephanie has revealed the unusual way she kept her nerves in the boardroom throughout the series – and how much Lord Sugar reminds her of her dad.

Stephanie's team impressed when they took customers on a tour in Wales, in her first role as Project Manager in a task.

However, her team failed to win over employees on a team building day at Silverstone race track a few weeks later.

Despite criticism from the boardroom panel for her team's Silverstone away day, she revealed that she formed a bond with Lord Sugar throughout the series and used a rather unusual tactic to keep calm during some of the more critical moments, saying: "I think Lord Sugar sees something in me.

"We did have some amazing chats in the boardroom about family and business and I just think he gets me, he understands what I am about and can relate."

She added: "Lord Sugar reminds me a lot of my dad so to calm my nerves in the boardroom I would just imagine I was talking to my dad! That tactic typically helped when things went wrong – and as we can see for me they definitely did… a lot!"

Although Stephanie said that some things went wrong, she has successfully pitched her way to the final four and explained that she is willing to put herself out there to achieve her goals.

She said: "I am nowhere near the perfect finished product, but I am willing to learn and I think Lord Sugar appreciates anyone that shows willing to put themselves out there, to make mistakes in order to improve."

Tonight's episode (March 17) will see the final four candidates pitch their business plans to a range of entrepreneurs – but only two will make it to the season finale and earn the opportunity to go into business with Lord Sugar.

While previous episodes have shown tempers flaring in the boardroom, Stephanie dispelled any ideas that there was tension between the candidates and between the final four, saying: "There was certainly no jealousy, all the girls were very supportive of each other and appreciated the unique reasons we were there.

"It was important that when someone did particularly well in a task we would always take time to praise them and let them have their moment."

The episode is also making history with its first all female season finale, with fellow finalist Brittany Carter comparing the final four to a girl group.

"I think we all feel like we’re in a girl band! We’re all completely different," said Brittany.

"We’re like 4 corners of a square that just come together – we just complement each other so well. I would never have believed I’d get to meet such incredible people like this just by chance…"

She added: "When you begin in this process and there’s 16 of you, it seems like an impossible task to get anywhere close to the end.

"When you’ve worked so hard, you’ve brought your a-game to every single task – and to now be stood here in the final four, it’s just amazing."

But who will successfully pitch their business and earn a place in the final? Viewers will have to wait and see.

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