This season of The Apprentice has been a rollercoaster so far, but nobody could have seen last night's bizarre twist coming.
It all got a little weird on Thursday (23 February) when contestant Avi Sharma got a spanking by his co-star Marnie Swindells.
You can watch the bizarre incident - which has been described as the stuff of 'nightmares' - unfold below:
In this week's challenge, the remaining contestants were tasked with putting together an immersive experience.
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For Avi's team, that involved putting together a Victorian school day, complete with Marnie as the head teacher and Avi as a naughty schoolboy.
While playing out the immersive experience for guests, Marnie asked Avi to show her his homework.
When Avi showed her his chalkboard, teacher Marnie wasn't impressed.
"How dare you come to my class and present this," she yelled. "You know exactly what happens to bad boys in my class."
Marnie then pulled him up to the top of the classroom, ordered him to bend over, and spanked him with a cane in front of the other 'students'.
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When Avi the 'school boy' begged her to stop, she replied: "What did you say? Harder?"
It was... interesting, to say the least.
Viewers at home didn't know what to make of the spectacle, taking to Twitter to try and figure out what they had just witnessed.
"This is going to give me nightmares," admitted one person.
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"Felt like I’d stumbled into the dark web seeing this," joked a second.
A third wondered: "WTF is going in between Avi and Marnie….. I’m uncomfortable."
Rather impressed by Marnie and Avi's show, another viewer commented: "Well at least he took one for the team. That’s dedication for you. Good boy Avi."
I'm glad someone enjoyed it - besides Avi.
After the challenge, Lord Alan Sugar brought up the bizarre spanking in the boardroom.
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Speaking to the team, Lord Sugar asked: "You started off in a school-teacher manner, demonstrating how you get the cane if you’re a naughty boy, is that right?"
Avi replied: "Yes Lord Sugar you’re right, I did receive a whipping."
When Baroness Karren Brady asked Avi if he had at least enjoyed it, he replied: "I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy it.
"I think what was most important was the guests found it very entertaining."
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Lord Sugar hit back: "I would have, watching you getting whacked!"
Somehow, though, Avi made it through this week's episode to see another challenge - to the surprise of many viewers - and it was Mark Moseley who went home.
The Apprentice continues next Thursday at 9pm on BBC One.
Topics: BBC, TV and Film
Ali Condon