Bill Cosby cost his TV daughter her chance at winning Celebrity Apprentice, but not because of the current rape scandal.

Actress Keshia Knight Pulliam, best known for playing the comedian's daughter Rudy on The Cosby Show, was fired by Donald Trump for not hitting her TV dad up for a bake sale donation.

In the last few months, more than two dozen women have come forward to accuse Cosby of rape - but Sunday night's episode was shot more than a year before.

Nevertheless, the conversation surrounding Cosby in the boardroom caused a few minutes of awkward television - as Trump called Cosby a 'tremendous guy' and a 'gentleman'.

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You're fired: Donald Trump (right) fired former Cosby Show actress Keshia Knight Pulliam (left) in Sunday night's episode of the Celebrity Apprentice, for not calling her TV dad for a donation. The episode was shot a year ago, before scores of women came forward to accuse Bill Cosby of rape and sexual assault.

TV dad: Pulliam is best known for playing Rudy Huxtable on Cosby's long-running sitcom The Cosby Show. A young Pulliam pictured sitting on Cosby lap, bottom left

Pulliam was named her team's project manager for the episode, and was put on the chopping block when they came up short in fundraising.

In the boardroom, Pulliam's teammates (including Kate Gosselin, Shawn Johnson and Vivica A Fox) turned on her and blamed her for not calling up Cosby in front of judge Trump, his daughter Ivanka and guest judge Piers Morgan (Daily Mail Online's Editor-at-Large and the 2008 Celebrity Apprentice champion).

'Did you call Bill?' Trump asked a tearful Pulliam in the tense meeting.

'I did not. I have not talked to Bill Cosby on the phone in I don't know how long,' Pulliam explained. 'So for me to pick up the phone, having not talked to you for five years, except for when we run into each other for a Cosby event - I feel that's not my place to do.'

Trump disagrees, saying a big donation to the sale would have been nothing for a 'tremendous guy' like Cosby with a 'tremendous amount of money' - enough to win the task with one phone call.

He told Keshia: 'You are an amazing person, but you were the project manager. You didn't make one call that I really believe that if you'd called that gentleman he would have helped you, even if you hadn't spoken to him in years.

'You were an amazing team with one of the most successful shows ever, so I think it would have been a good call to make for charity. You have to take responsibility.'

Blame game: Pulliam's (left) teammates (including Kate Gosselin, second left; Vivica A Fox, second right; and Shawn Johnson, right) threw her under the bus in the boardroom for not trying to solicit money from Cosby in the fundraiser, in which they came up short

Who to fire? Guest judge Piers Morgan (Daily Mail Online's Editor-at-Large and a former champion of the reality show, left) and Trump's daughter Ivanka (right) also weighed in on the decision of who to fire

With that, Trump made his signature hand move and sent Pulliam packing. He did, however, make a $25,000 donation to her charity from his own pocket.

His advisor Piers Morgan said he had made the right decision.

He said: 'You go head to head with Geraldo and you only bring in $8000 yourself? Suicide.'

Keshia, however, disagreed, saying: 'To send me home for a fundraising task where the other two people raised zero dollars is kind of crazy to me.'

TV blog Vulture, which recapped the episode, pointed out how strange it was that the scene wasn't edited to remove the praise of Cosby, even though Trump and everyone else in the boardroom were clearly unaware of the scandal when the episode was shot.

Immediately after the show's premiere episode aired, Trump was quick to point out that it had been filmed before any women came forward with rape allegations against Cosby.

'This show was taped just before the terrible Bill Cosby revelations came to light. She still should have asked him for money – goes to charity,' he tweeted.

Scandal: In the past few months, more than two dozen woman have come forward to accuse Cosby (right) of rape. These accusations have tarnished the comedian's once-revered reputation as 'America's dad'. Pictured above in a still from The Cosby Show, featuring Pullia

Since the first episode of the Celebrity Apprentice was filmed, more than 15 women have come forward claiming to have been drugged, sexually assaulted or both by Cosby.

He has not been charged in connection with any of the allegations, most of which date back to the 1970s.

Sunday night's premiere episode of the Celebrity Apprentice saw a battle of the sexes as the all female team 'Infinity' took on the all male team 'Vortex'.

With Keshia leading the women as project manager and journalist Geraldo Rivera stepping up to manage the men, the teams had the task of selling pies to raise money for charity.

While the women opted to make an enchilada pie and a blackberry and pear pie, the men crafted a chocolate and vanilla pie alongside a low calorie chicken potpie.

Singer Kevin Jonas, actor Lorenzo Lamas and Deadliest Catch star Sig Hansen slaved away in the kitchen creating team Vortex's products, but got off to a problematic star when Sig accidentally burned the crusts.

While tensions rose between Kevin and Geraldo, the men had dozens of contacts coming to their pie shop with huge donations. Kevin's social media popularity also saw their store swarming with Jonas Brothers fans.

After the episode aired Trump too to Twitter to clarify that it had been filmed before the allegations against Crosby had 'come to light'

The men had dozens of contacts coming to their pie shop with huge donations. Kevin Jonas' social media popularity also saw their store swarming with Jonas Brothers fans

While baseball champ Johnny Damon and NFL star Terrell Owens encouraged people to visit the shop, comedian Gilbert Gottfried organized some outside entertainment and actor Ian Ziering worked behind the counter.

In the women's shop, Olympic snowboarder Jamie Anderson and reality TV star Kate Gosselin were in charge of cooking the pies, while their fellow contestants Vivica A. Fox, Shawn Johnson, Brandi Glanville, Kenya Moore and Leeza Gibbons tried to raise money and increase publicity on social media.

Keshia, who was hoping to win the task and raise money for her charity Kamp Kizzy, said: 'From the days on The Cosby Show and having that great example with Mr. Cosby, the importance of philanthropy and giving back to others has been a part of my life for forever.'

Real Housewife of Atlanta Kenya, however, was critical of her project manager when she learned she had not called her former on-screen father to ask for a donation.

She said: 'Keshia was a Cosby kid. She was on one of the number one shows of all time and the first person she should be calling is Bill Cosby. I know he has deep pockets.'

She added: 'Your TV dad is accessible to you and you don't call him up for a donation? That's crazy.'

Trump, Barron Trump and Melania Trump attend the Trump Invitational Grand Prix Mar-a-Lago Club at The Mar-a-Largo Club yesterday

In the boardroom it was revealed that while team Infinity had raised $93,862 – including a $25,000 bonus for having the best-tasting pie, team Vortex had raised a staggering $185,322. Winning project manager Geraldo took home $280,000 for his charity Life's Work.

Threatened with the sack, the girls quickly turned on one another.

Kate came under fire for raising no money at all and was called 'lazy' by Brandi.

'She stood around talking while we all did every job that we could,' the housewife said.

Kenya, meanwhile, was critical of Keshia, saying. 'If I was Rudy Huxtable and I was TV's favourite daughter, I would have called my TV dad for a contribution.'

There were tears as Vivica said she was 'proud' of her project manager, but Keshia fought back emotion and brought Kate and Jamie back into the boardroom.