I think you just have to put yourself in his situation. You're down to the final 5 of what is undoubtably the greatest opportunity you're ever going to have but there can only be one person that gets it. When one of your rivals says to you they're not sure that they want it you're not exactly going to be best pleased with them. And then when she's saying the exact opposite things to Sralun only one day later it's certainly going to ring alarm bells. I know I would've pointed it out, I wouldn't want some complete joker wasting my time with something so important!

 

He might have picked a better time to point it out, but I still think he was 100% right to point it out. Lucinda made herself very vulnerable last night, it was extremely naive and frankly someone of her intelligence and experience should have known a lot better! As soon as she said it I knew she wouldn't be in the final.

 

Alex does have his weaknesses, but there's a final 4 for a reason. None of them are really that good or stand out and they all have weak areas. Alex has proved to be an excellent sales person, and working as a team leader/manager on 100% commission shows he's got guts to prove himself!

 

You're right on Lucinda. She should have been more careful about who she voiced her concerns to. VERY silly move. Although I read it last night that it wasn't that she was doubting she wanted the job, but she was doubting herself after the roasting she got in the interview for being 'unemployable'. I think it was a brief moment of self-doubt that she pick herself up from.

 

I'm not saying Alex doesn't have guts, and there's no denying he's great at sales. But again, does being a good salesperson mean you can organise and run a company? I'm not sure, and he's not given any evidence in any of the tasks to date that he can.

 

The other thing is that everything that Alex is good at; being gutsy and being great at sales...well Claire ALSO is. But Claire has exceeded Alex in other areas; she's shown she can respond to criticism (which surely has to be a VITAL skill in an apprentice?), and she's been a strong team leader. She's also shown more enthusiasm throughout the tasks than Alex has.

Whilst Claire isn't my favourite, and isn't necessarily a likable character, she seems much more equipped than Alex to taken on a high role.

If anybody other than Claire wins this thing, it'll be even more of a joke than I could've imagined. She is quite clearly the only candidate left with any of the skill or ability required. Thankfully being on a team with Lee, who is probably the second-most capable, she will probably make it through to the latter stages of the final...given that Alex's sole strength is sales and Helene barely even has a strength, I imagine (hope) they will lose out...

The other thing is that everything that Alex is good at; being gutsy and being great at sales...well Claire ALSO is. But Claire has exceeded Alex in other areas; she's shown she can respond to criticism (which surely has to be a VITAL skill in an apprentice?), and she's been a strong team leader. She's also shown more enthusiasm throughout the tasks than Alex has.

But HAS she though? As Sralun pointed out after feedback from the interviewers, maybe it's just a front she puts on infront of him so she knows she'll get on his good side, because in the interviews she did seem to turn back a few weeks. And I do think the reason she's responded to criticism better is that there's been so much to criticise. You don't go back to the boardroom so many times just by coincidence...

 

I don't think any are able really, I'd just give it to Lee as he's been the most successful candidate throughout the projects. Team-led twice and won both times, of the other 8 tasks he's been on the losing side 3 times and has NEVER been back to the boardroom!

But HAS she though? As Sralun pointed out after feedback from the interviewers, maybe it's just a front she puts on infront of him so she knows she'll get on his good side, because in the interviews she did seem to turn back a few weeks. And I do think the reason she's responded to criticism better is that there's been so much to criticise. You don't go back to the boardroom so many times just by coincidence...

 

I don't think any are able really, I'd just give it to Lee as he's been the most successful candidate throughout the projects. Team-led twice and won both times, of the other 8 tasks he's been on the losing side 3 times and has NEVER been back to the boardroom!

 

I thought Claire looked quite disinterested in a few of the tasks she was performing in and to be honest totally unprofessional on two specific tasks - the ice cream one and the photography one. On the ice-cream task it was only down to sheer luck and her team-members that she won (she was p/ssed half the time) and on the photography one she treated Simon appallingly and matched Alex every bit for sliminess. I wouldn't trust her one little bit. Her only saving grace is that she is slightly better than the other female left - Helene "ooohh its tough for a woman in a man's world" Speight.

 

I'm starting to warm to Lee a bit more now (yes I know that the way he spoke to Sara that time was awful - but we were after all just shown what the producers thought the viewers would think to be the 'juicy' bits). Besides - the editing of the show also made him out to be a bit of an ogre towards Lucinda - and yet Lucinda says he is an absolute gent and was lovely to work with - and she'd like him to win but thinks Claire will.

 

Norma

 

I don't know why I have not entered this thread until now, but having watched all bar two of this series episodes, I have to say it is surely a two horse race between Claire (who I think will win); and Lee (who I want to win).

 

It might be due to the editing to make it seem as this there is no certainty to win, but Claire does seem to best the best overall candidate. However, Claire's character, background and personality remind me of Series 2 winner Michelle Dewberry (and we know what happened after she won). Which I think could play on Sir Alan's thinking when he comes to make a decision on who the winner is, so it may not be the foregone conclusion most TV experts think it is.

 

If either Alex or Helene win I will be as flabberghasted as when Leon won the last series of X Factor.

I don't know why I have not entered this thread until now, but having watched all bar two of this series episodes, I have to say it is surely a two horse race between Claire (who I think will win); and Lee (who I want to win).

 

It might be due to the editing to make it seem as this there is no certainty to win, but Claire does seem to best the best overall candidate. However, Claire's character, background and personality remind me of Series 2 winner Michelle Dewberry (and we know what happened after she won). Which I think could play on Sir Alan's thinking when he comes to make a decision on who the winner is, so it may not be the foregone conclusion most TV experts think it is.

 

If either Alex or Helene win I will be as flabberghasted as when Leon won the last series of X Factor.

 

Sugar's most 'loyal' apprentice so far (in that he put in a couple of years work for him and did a good job by all accounts) is the bloke from the first series (Tim?) Although Lee comes across as a bit of a loudmouth (and I think that's down to some self-doubt) he is more like Tim than any of the others, i.e. he had less experience, he could be moulded and he's a grafter. I so want him to win it now.

 

I think in all the Apprentice series so far, the 'one that got away' was Ruth Badger. A true team leader and team player when required. Not afraid to take a losing task and turn it round. She was fabulous.

 

Don't forget everyone! Tomorrow night - a special 'Weakest Link' with contestants from previous Apprentices (including the wonderfully entertaining Paul Torresi and James Max from series 1).

 

Norma

 

If anybody other than Claire wins this thing, it'll be even more of a joke than I could've imagined. She is quite clearly the only candidate left with any of the skill or ability required. Thankfully being on a team with Lee, who is probably the second-most capable, she will probably make it through to the latter stages of the final...given that Alex's sole strength is sales and Helene barely even has a strength, I imagine (hope) they will lose out...

 

I agree with your last point; the teams do seem a tad uneven...the two frontrunners against "I'm only 24" Alex, and Helene who Sirallun has made his feelings quite well known on...

 

 

But HAS she though? As Sralun pointed out after feedback from the interviewers, maybe it's just a front she puts on infront of him so she knows she'll get on his good side, because in the interviews she did seem to turn back a few weeks. And I do think the reason she's responded to criticism better is that there's been so much to criticise. You don't go back to the boardroom so many times just by coincidence...

 

I don't think any are able really, I'd just give it to Lee as he's been the most successful candidate throughout the projects. Team-led twice and won both times, of the other 8 tasks he's been on the losing side 3 times and has NEVER been back to the boardroom!

 

True, she has gone into the boardroom many times. Although it should be remembered that of those there were at least 2 occasions where it was a tad unfair, and the decisions to take her into the boardroom were questioned. On week 6 Kevin secured his own downfall by bringing the relatively blame-free Claire in rather than the horrific Ginger Celery banshee. And week 9 she was pretty much brought in by Raef to make up the numbers; the failure of that task was pretty much completely down to Michael and Raef.

I suspect that on this issue, she may have suffered from the first impressions of her, where she did come very close to the axe. And perhaps it was that which influenced decisions to bring her in rather than her actually performing badly; candidates were hoping against hope that they would survive because of Claire's dodgy few first weeks.

 

Alex has been on the losing team MANY times, and has been in the boardroom for a few of those himself. He's survived by being quiet and staying in the background, and benefitted from some VERY sales-orientated tasks.

 

 

I thought Claire looked quite disinterested in a few of the tasks she was performing in and to be honest totally unprofessional on two specific tasks - the ice cream one and the photography one. On the ice-cream task it was only down to sheer luck and her team-members that she won (she was p/ssed half the time) and on the photography one she treated Simon appallingly and matched Alex every bit for sliminess. I wouldn't trust her one little bit. Her only saving grace is that she is slightly better than the other female left - Helene "ooohh its tough for a woman in a man's world" Speight.

 

I'm starting to warm to Lee a bit more now (yes I know that the way he spoke to Sara that time was awful - but we were after all just shown what the producers thought the viewers would think to be the 'juicy' bits). Besides - the editing of the show also made him out to be a bit of an ogre towards Lucinda - and yet Lucinda says he is an absolute gent and was lovely to work with - and she'd like him to win but thinks Claire will.

 

Norma

 

Agreed on early tasks Claire was diabolical. But from week 6 (the card task) onwards, she's performed pretty solidly. There's been a few minor shaky moments (scuppering Alex's bartering in Morocco), but all the other candidates have had those aswell in recent weeks...

 

 

If either Alex or Helene win I will be as flabberghasted as when Leon won the last series of X Factor.

 

Prepare for an Alex shock victory then :(

 

 

Sugar's most 'loyal' apprentice so far (in that he put in a couple of years work for him and did a good job by all accounts) is the bloke from the first series (Tim?) Although Lee comes across as a bit of a loudmouth (and I think that's down to some self-doubt) he is more like Tim than any of the others, i.e. he had less experience, he could be moulded and he's a grafter. I so want him to win it now.

 

I think in all the Apprentice series so far, the 'one that got away' was Ruth Badger. A true team leader and team player when required. Not afraid to take a losing task and turn it round. She was fabulous.

 

Don't forget everyone! Tomorrow night - a special 'Weakest Link' with contestants from previous Apprentices (including the wonderfully entertaining Paul Torresi and James Max from series 1).

 

Norma

 

Ruth Badger was excellent, but I think she was in the same position as Lucinda and Katie Hopkins; she didn't NEED the job, and had she been given the Apprentice role, she'd have outgrown it in weeks.

Ruth would probably work better as an advisor for Sirallun should Nick or Margaret ever tire.

Edited June 5, 200817 yr by Shoat

Ruth Badger was excellent, but I think she was in the same position as Lucinda and Katie Hopkins; she didn't NEED the job, and had she been given the Apprentice role, she'd have outgrown it in weeks.

Ruth would probably work better as an advisor for Sirallun should Nick or Margaret ever tire.

 

Was it true that Ruth Badger did go on to work for Sugar for a while (I've been told that the two finalists go to work for him for six months anyway - but I think Badger actually went a bit beyond this - I could be wrong though!)

 

I think so far - Michelle Dewberry has been his worst choice (although not much has been heard from his appalling mistake of last year - Simon Ambrose). I think it was largely Dewberry's 'sob' story that made him dismiss similar stories out of hand this time round.

 

Norma

 

 

 

Did anyone watch the special Weakest Link? All I've got to say is that I'm ashamed of those dirty, stinking, scheming, rotten 'thick' females from series three! Voting off the lovely Tre!

 

It was very, very entertaining actually - but the best and most entertaining (apart from Tre) were the two blokes from series one ... the gorgeous Paul Torresi and the even more gorgeous James Max.

 

Norma

 

And I'm almost ashamed to add this ... but Jenny Celeria from the current series was just lovely!

Edited June 6, 200817 yr by Norma_Snockers

Did anyone watch the special Weakest Link? All I've got to say is that I'm ashamed of those dirty, stinking, scheming, rotten 'thick' females from series three! Voting off the lovely Tre!

 

It was very, very entertaining actually - but the best and most entertaining (apart from Tre) were the two blokes from series one ... the gorgeous Paul Torresi and the even more gorgeous James Max.

 

Norma

 

And I'm almost ashamed to add this ... but Jenny Celeria from the current series was just lovely!

 

Jenny was a completely different person, agreed. She seems to have learnt something from the Apprentice at any rate.

 

Just from watching the Weakest Link though...I missed the first two rounds, but I didn't see that James was particularly entertaining (Paul must already have been voted off).

Kristina laying into Katie though, was FANTASTIC. Tre was good value aswell. The others must have felt so awkward...

 

Jenny was a completely different person, agreed. She seems to have learnt something from the Apprentice at any rate.

 

Just from watching the Weakest Link though...I missed the first two rounds, but I didn't see that James was particularly entertaining (Paul must already have been voted off).

Kristina laying into Katie though, was FANTASTIC. Tre was good value aswell. The others must have felt so awkward...

 

Paul Torresi was voted off second. Having said that ... his two questions in that round were much harder than say, Katie's (for example - Katie's question - what is 4 plus 1, Paul's question - which South American country has land-borders with ten others?)

 

I kind of wish Katie had stayed and Kristina had been voted off because Kristina was as thick as two short planks - I think over the whole show she got no more than 5% of her questions right. And I still haven't forgiven Jo (who admittedly was the cleverest of the bunch) for voting Tre off!) Tre was hilarious.

 

Norma

Edited June 7, 200817 yr by Norma_Snockers

Paul Torresi was voted off second. Having said that ... his two questions in that round were much harder than say, Katie's (for example - Katie's question - what is 4 plus 1, Paul's question - which South American country has land-borders with ten others?)

 

I kind of wish Katie had stayed and Kristina had been voted off because Kristina was as thick as two short planks - I think over the whole show she got no more than 5% of her questions right. And I still haven't forgiven Jo (who admittedly was the cleverest of the bunch) for voting Tre off!) Tre was hilarious.

 

Norma

 

Kristina was pretty useless, and was very lucky to have reached the final. The final round was a total embarrassment. 1/10 correct overall!

Kristina was pretty useless, and was very lucky to have reached the final.

Blasphemy!

 

You're normally so on-the-mark as well! :heehee:

Edited June 7, 200817 yr by Jark

I wish Katie would have stayed on for longer, id would have liked to have seen her responses when Kristina was doing awfully.

I really wish when Ann was doing her first 'chat' with the individuals, when she asked Tre about his swearing ... it would have been lovely to hear him just say his trademark 'b0llocks!' I have never, ever heard anyone say that word so hilariously as Tre Azam! Apart from my little boy when he was two - it was one of the first words he said!

 

Norma

Blasphemy!

 

You're normally so on-the-mark as well! :heehee:

 

Oh don't get me wrong, she was great in the Apprentice, and should have been chosen ahead of Simon.

 

Actually, what IS that Simon guy doing now? I hope he flopped.

Why do i even bother watching? 4th year in a row, f***ing ridiculous decision

 

Alan quite clearly cant handle feisty women even though clair was BLATENTLY the better candidate over the dull, boring quivering Lee

 

:angry:

Edited June 11, 200817 yr by JamesP

Wrong decision definatly. Claire should have won, Sir Alan has never made the right decision in my opinion. Saira, Ruth, Kristina and Claire were all better than the winners in the end. Whilst Lee should have come second and was probably the second best person for the job, Claire was better genrally i think.

Sir Alan knows what he wants for his company though LMAO :P:P

Im glad Lee won. On the final task I though he did brilliantly and wish him and Claire luck. Both of them were brill and deffo deserved top two :D

wrong decision...

 

not that i know better then sir alan... but... the guys a slimy creep, blagging his way through whilst claire was confident, capeable, stable, trustworthy...

 

i cannot believe his decision.