Karren Brady and The Apprentice viewers were baffled as a Putney contestant said her team’s product must be attractive to sell to men.

Fans of the show took to social media after the series premiered last night (October 4), with one accusing Siobhan Smith of being ‘sexist’.

The Twitter user wrote: “Siobhan is actually a k**b. Backtracked on her sexist comment & slating everyone #TheApprentice."

Another commented: “Glad @karren_brady called out Siobhan on that comment about women needing to look attractive for male customers. Ridiculous! #TheApprentice”

Some found it too much, with Claire Simpson tweeting: “’What do you mean by attractive?’ grills Karen [sic] to a squirming Siobhan. 15 mins in and #TheApprentice is already super awkward.”

The girls’ team, Graphene, were brainstorming of locations to sell their luxury meat products when Mrs Smith suggested that product manager Sarah Lynn should exercise all options before setting on Canary Wharf.

Siobhan said: “Our customers in Canary Wharf are going to be male-dominated, so it’s something to take into consideration when you choose who you want to be selling the burgers to.

“It’s got to be attractive to him as well to want to buy it.”

A puzzled Karren quizzed her by asking: “What do you mean by attractive?”

Stumbling over her words a bit, Siobhan replied: “I’m just trying to say that if you’re shy at dealing with men, on a day-to-day basis as well, it’s going to be a problem you know?”

That was before Lord Sugar’s aide said back: “None of you strike me as shy.”

No matter the uncomfortable moment, Team Graphene were victorious in the first task as they generated a healthy profit from their sales meanwhile the boys’ Team Vitality were very much in the red.

Danny Grant, who opted to become product manager for the men’s team, was the first to be booted off and begrudged Lord Sugar’s decision to fire him, insisting that management consultant Charles Burns should have gone instead.

Oh well.

Episode two of The Apprentice is back on BBC One next Wednesday (October 11) at 9pm.