The 20-year-old restaurateur from Kent had previously claimed: “If you chuck me in the deep end I’ll swim, I won’t sink.”
But in episode two, she definitely sank, after she was caught napping mid-task, and being called on it by both the other girls and Lord Sugar, who told her: "Maria – I’m not clear what in fact you did in this task, Maria – You’re Fired.”
Read our 'you're fired' interview with Maria below...
When did you know it had gone wrong?
Probably when I fell asleep.
So why did you lie about falling asleep in the boardroom?
I think you'll find I didn't. When Lord Sugar asked me about that, I said straight away it was me.
Why were you so tired?
I think it's understandable really, it was the late nights. We don't get back till 11pm and then me and Gabrielle would stay up drinking tea till 12am. Although we didn't have to be up till 7am, everyone would wake me up doing their hair.
When Lord Sugar asked "what's this falling asleep business?", I owned up and said that was me.
Who do you think was to blame for your firing?
The project manager [Jane] obviously, because of her bad decision. She went with what she wanted and not the market research. I would have done it differently, I'd have used the research.
What was your best moment on The Apprentice?
It wasn't actually shown on TV but when we were at the market singing by the stall in front of loads of mums. We were singing My Girl, that was funny.
How did you find Lord Sugar, Karren and Nick?
Lord Sugar is what you see is what you get. Karren doesn't say much and I love Nick, he's amazing, such a nice guy. I'd love to see Nick again.
What will you do now?
I'm going back to work at my restaurant. I've not learned much from being on the show.
Will you keep watching?
Yeah, I will to see how they get on. I would like to see Duane, Adam, Gabrielle or Katie win.
Meet this year's contestants in the slideshow below...
Launch Slideshow
HIDE THUMBNAILS
1 of 20
PLAY ALL
VOTE ON THIS SLIDE
ADVERTISEMENT
[{"entry_id":"3337068","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/25\/radio-1-big-weekend_n_3337068.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299484\/slide_299484_2496392_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299484\/slide_299484_2496392_small.jpg","title":"Radio 1 Big Weekend","slideshow_id":"299484","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3334968","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/25\/jessie-j-the-voice-row-will-i-am_n_3334968.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/213515\/slide_213515_770172_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/213515\/slide_213515_770172_small.jpg","title":"","slideshow_id":"213515","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3334894","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/25\/tulisa-danny-simpson-split_n_3334894.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/256835\/slide_256835_1641438_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/256835\/slide_256835_1641438_small.jpg","title":"Tulisa's Terrible Trends","slideshow_id":"256835","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330223","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/bradley-cooper-six-steps-stardom-the-hangover-3_n_3330223.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299254\/slide_299254_2491539_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299254\/slide_299254_2491539_small.jpg","title":"Bradley Cooper 2004 - Now","slideshow_id":"299254","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3329862","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/niall-horan-louise-thompson-one-direction-made-in-chelsea_n_3329862.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/290614\/slide_290614_2309053_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/290614\/slide_290614_2309053_small.jpg","title":"Made In Chelsea: The Stars","slideshow_id":"290614","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330394","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/george-michael-car-accident-suicide_n_3330394.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/230026\/slide_230026_1046123_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/230026\/slide_230026_1046123_small.jpg","title":"Injured Celebs","slideshow_id":"230026","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3331760","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/made-in-chelsea-lousie-thompson-bikini_n_3331760.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299309\/slide_299309_2492481_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299309\/slide_299309_2492481_small.jpg","title":"Louise Thompson in Monaco","slideshow_id":"299309","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3331491","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/homeland-series-3-damian-lewis-claire-danes_n_3331491.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/271572\/slide_271572_1916932_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/271572\/slide_271572_1916932_small.jpg","title":"Homeland Series 2 Finale","slideshow_id":"271572","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330585","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/marvin-humes-baby-rochelle-alaia-mai-twitter_n_3330585.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/277671\/slide_277671_2443277_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/277671\/slide_277671_2443277_small.jpg","title":"Pregnant Celebs","slideshow_id":"277671","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330988","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/ewan-mcgregor-new-look_n_3330988.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/288770\/slide_288770_2273130_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/288770\/slide_288770_2273130_small.jpg","title":"Celebrities Go Incognito","slideshow_id":"288770","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330962","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/taylor-swift-justin-bieber-feud-video_n_3330962.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298365\/slide_298365_2473178_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/298365\/slide_298365_2473178_small.jpg","title":"Billboard Awards 2013","slideshow_id":"298365","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3332203","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/will-smith-fresh-prince-of-bell-air-london-pictures_n_3332203.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/245349\/slide_245349_1394288_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/245349\/slide_245349_1394288_small.jpg","title":"TV Reunions We Want To See","slideshow_id":"245349","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330030","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/morgan-freeman-falls-asleep-tv-interview-michael-caine-video_n_3330030.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/239957\/slide_239957_1256514_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/239957\/slide_239957_1256514_small.jpg","title":"Morgan Freeman's Best and Worst Quotes","slideshow_id":"239957","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330607","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/towie-gary-lineker-brother-wayne_n_3330607.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299110\/slide_299110_2488919_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299110\/slide_299110_2488919_small.jpg","title":"TOWIE hit Marbella","slideshow_id":"299110","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330741","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/kim-kardashian-kanye-west-baby-money_n_3330741.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/293281\/slide_293281_2364440_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/293281\/slide_293281_2364440_small.jpg","title":"Kim Kardashian Pregnancy In Pictures So Far","slideshow_id":"293281","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3329916","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/helen-flanagan-boots-alan-carr-pictures_n_3329916.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/296244\/slide_296244_2425051_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/296244\/slide_296244_2425051_small.jpg","title":"Helen Flanagan: Her 100 Sexiest Pics","slideshow_id":"296244","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330219","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/kylie-minogue-boyfriend-andres-velencoso-amfar-cannes-film-festival_n_3330219.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299249\/slide_299249_2491210_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/299249\/slide_299249_2491210_small.jpg","title":"amfAR's 20th Annual Cinema Against AIDS","slideshow_id":"299249","vertical":"uk-entertainment"},{"entry_id":"3330302","entry_url":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.co.uk\/2013\/05\/24\/louise-redknapp-eternal-the-big-reunion_n_3330302.html","content_type":"image","image_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/214224\/slide_214224_781591_small.jpg","thumbnail_url":"gadgets\/slideshows\/214224\/slide_214224_781591_small.jpg","title":"Celebrity Feuds","slideshow_id":"214224","vertical":"uk-entertainment"}]
The Apprentice candidate Maria O’Connor has become the latest businesswoman looking for investment to be fired by Lord Sugar during the hit BBC One show.
The 20-year-old restaurateur from Kent ha...
The Apprentice candidate Maria O’Connor has become the latest businesswoman looking for investment to be fired by Lord Sugar during the hit BBC One show.
The 20-year-old restaurateur from Kent ha...
Bulgaria-born Bilyana Apostolova has become the first candidate to be fired from The Apprentice series eight. The 25-year-old risk analyst, who was keen to hammer...
To succeed in The Apprentice you must prove that you have the skills to survive the schoolyard politics of the show, it's as important as demonstrating your business acumen. The women on Team Sterling lived up to the worst prejudices about what women are like when they work together without men.
I thought Maria was great- really straightforward, funny and down to earth. She came across very well on You're Fired and I think it's a shame she went out so early. She was great to watch and had a personality, unlike a lot of the other candidates.
hp_blogger_Hilary Wardle: I thought Maria was great- really straightforward, funny and down
My current favourite: Duane Bryan has enthusiasm and thinks on his feet. He also sticks with the idea and sees things through. And so far, no mood swings - unlike some guys and gals...
eric14: My current favourite: Duane Bryan has enthusiasm and thinks on
Sarah Tetteh
:My Trip to Silicon Valley for an Inside Look at the Future of Kids' TV
James Garvey
:Racist Bridges
Anna Dumitriu
:Wonder and Terror in Art and Science
Tim Burgess
:Back on the Road Again: A Tour Diary
Bill Coles
:Highland Fling - Hilarious and Uplifting: Why Can't All Ballet Be Like This
Loading comments… 
Posted: 28/03/2012 22:23 Updated: 28/03/2012 22:23