Scottish actor and arts school owner Reece Donnelly has pulled out of the television hit show The Apprentice because of health issues. 

He was unable to join the remaining candidates on a project in Dubai to put on a corporate away day for two international clients. 

No details of the Waterloo Road actor’s condition have been released but he announced that he confirmed it was a health matter. Claims that he had broken the show’s rules were not confirmed.

“My goal of being on The Apprentice was to showcase that Scotland has amazing businesses and entrepreneurs. I really hope I’ve done that,” he said.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time on the show and I’m looking forward to watching my fellow candidates in the rest of the series, I’m so grateful for my time with Lord Sugar and the team.

“I hope you all enjoy the show as much as we laughed making it. As the first Scottish candidate in over 8 years, let’s do this Scotland,” he told the Daily Star. 

Mr Donnelly, 25, owns a performing arts school in Glasgow and was determined to become the first Scottish candidate to secure Lord Sugar’s investment.

Ahead of entering the show, he said he wanted to prove that Scotland is filled with forward-thinking entrepreneurs.

He was the second contestant in this series to voluntarily leave the show. Shannon Martin left in the second week, announcing her departure in the boardroom.

Following her exit, she said: “I’m a perfectionist, I need to know what’s going on all the time and not being able to know how things were going on at home or what was happening at work was really hard for me. The unknown is definitely not something I’m good at.”