'The Apprentice' Contestant Sparks Race Row

7 months ago 06th Apr 13:00

'The Apprentice' star Yasmina Siadatan has been embroiled in a race row.

The half-Iranian contestant on the BBC business reality show caused outrage after she requested a white person star in a sportswear advert produced by her team in this week's challenge.

In the show, which will air on Wednesday (08.04.09) Sir Alan Sugar asks the contestants to invent and promote a new piece of sports equipment.

But sparks flew during the challenge when 27-year-old Yasmina objected to two of her colleagues - Asian science teacher Noorul Choudhury, 33, and Tanzanian beauty Mona Lewis, 28 - both starring in a promotional poster.

She said: Well, I'm Iranian so I can say it

She said: "We have already got an ethnic minority. If we have two ethnic minorities, it will be like we are advertising for The Ethnic Minorities Sportswear Club.

"I think we have to have a white person in there as well. There's nothing wrong with Noorul, but we've got Mona."

Speaking of her white, English teammate she added: "Phil Taylor should be in the pictures. He looks so much better."

However, her comments caused uproar with others in the team.

Contestant Debra Barr, 24, retorted: "How can we say that? I am gobsmacked we can say that. I am offended. If I had a child and someone said: 'Sorry, you can't go in my ad campaign because you're black,' I'd kick off."

Despite upsetting her teammates, Yasmina insisted she has not done anything wrong.

She said: "Well, I'm Iranian so I can say it. I am just being honest. Debra can f**k off."