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The Apprentice fans were left demanding a major format change on Thursday evening, as they called for an end to "sexist" practices.

The second episode of the series saw the boys and girls teams set the task of designing a toothbrush and related app for children – with the girls opting for a space theme while the boys went for a wizard design.

However, it was this very option to have the groups segregated by sex that left some fans with a sour taste.

Since the inception of the BBC programme, the groups have initially been separated into boys and girls for the first few weeks, before Lord Sugar mixes the contestants up and sets them to coming up with a team name.

Taking to Twitter, unsettled fans were quick to point out: "The fact that #TheApprentice still splits the teams into girls and boys is so 2008. Where's the diversity, inclusion and belonging. Why not split them on people who are born on odd days and those who were born on even?"

Someone else added: "Gender stereotypes as bad as ever in ep2 of #TheApprentice. Girls and boys infighting…"

"Isn't it about time we call the teams on #TheApprentice men/women or chaps/ladies? Girls/boys sounds playgroundy to me!" another insisted.

As a fourth viewer said: "Definitely think it's time for a change @bbcapprentice. Girls and boys teams are dull!"

"#TheApprentice isn't it about time to mix the teams from the start? Instead of girls and boys every time?" another asked.

In the episode, the girls came up with a space-themed app which saw kids brush 'space rocks' symbolising plaque from their teeth – but came under fire for the 'childish' design of the orange brush.

The app was dubbed 'confusing' – and aide Karren admitted the girls' promises to change everything about their prototype wouldn't wash in the business world.

But the boys, meanwhile, designed a 'boring' brown brush designed to look like a wand, with one of the panel admitting it looked like "a turd".

And after the disaster of week one – in which the lads designed a cruise ship logo which was compared to a "poo" – it didn't bode well for the lads.

Furthermore, the boys came under fire for "alienating" half of their audience – with fans at home also agreeing that their toothbrush design, solely aimed at young boys, was "sexist".

One Twitter user said: "The boys' toothbrush is sexist and looks like poo!"

Another echoed: "So as long as boys like the turd toothbrush that's all that matters? The girls can f*** off? Sexist a***holes!"

The Apprentice continues next Thursday at 9pm on BBC One.

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• BBC
• The Apprentice

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