The Apprentice: Last Gasp Saloon for Bognor Regis candidate and award-winning baker Phil Turner

Turner, who manages West Sussex business Turner’s Pies, has been on the losing side of the BBC One show’s challenges for the last nine weeks straight, without a single win to his name.

It’s got to be something of a record for the Alan Sugar reality show, which has been running since 2005, and viewers are starting to ask why he’s being kept around.

Last week’s episode saw Sugar’s hopefuls vying for the win by selling products on a teleshopping channel. It took grace under pressure, sales acumen, enthusiasm, energy and a nose for what customers want. But our man came up short again, having made very few concrete contributions and, at one stage, passing the buck to fellow candidate Flo when asked why his side of the operation kept dropping prices too early.

It was a less than stellar performance from the baker, whose products took home a trio of prizes at this year’s British Pie Awards, and made all the worse by the fact that last week’s loser was Raj: a steadfast and conscientious candidate who won every previous challenge.

For many viewers, watching Raj leave the boardroom after one mistake, as Phil stood by having made many, was a bridge too far, and Phil has to make things work this week if he wants to stay in the process.

During this week’s episode, which is set to broadcast at 9pm tonight on BBC One, will see the candidates attempting to create and market a vegan alternative to cheese. Given Phil’s culinary chops, and the fact that his company won best vegan pie at this year’s British Pie Awards, the task should play right to his strengths, but, if his performance in previous food based tasks is anything to go by, that’s no guarantee of a win.