A former University of East Anglia student is among the latest batch of apprentices battling it out to work with Alan Sugar.

Leah Totton made her debut on the popular BBC One show The Apprentice this week as part of team Evolve.

Although off to a shaky start, with the group losing both of the first two tasks, Dr Totton has avoided the boardroom and will continue to compete in next week's episode.

The 24-year-old, from Derry, Northern Ireland, graduated from UEA's school of medicine in 2011 and now works as a doctor in London.

In her audition for the programme, where the winner will go into partnership with Lord Sugar, Dr Totton described herself as 'quite nice really'.

She said: 'If I'm backed into a corner, I'm obviously going to defend myself, especially if I feel I'm right. What I don't like is anyone who's overly nasty. I don't think there's any need for it in business, I really don't.

'Working as a practising doctor, nothing really will ever compare to attending an arrest call, where it's literally a matter of life and death.'

The contestant, who works for the NHS but has also set up a cosmetic medicine company since graduation, has the trademark confidence of one of Lord Sugar's apprentices.

She said: 'I feel like I'm an excellent contender. I'm a very academic person.

'I've sort of got everything, really.

'I just think I would be a good person to be in partnership with.'

Dr Totton also described herself as 'glamorous', 'a blue-sky thinker', and 'a fantastic business mind'.

This year's series of The Apprentice kicked off this week with two episodes.

Their first task was to sell a container load of stock including cat litter, bubble wrap, leather jackets and toilet roll.

In the second episode, the contestants were asked to create a new flavoured beer.

Two apprentices have been fired leaving 14 competitors.