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'Rough diamond' Lee McQueen has snatched Apprentice victory from Claire Young after what felt like the closest boardroom showdown in the programme's history.
We were disappointed that gutsy Claire didn't triumph as she once again proved herself to be a great team leader during the final task and she also helped to carry Lee through the difficult presentation and very tough Q&A section.
In the end, it seemed that Sir Alan felt that Lee was 'more convincing' in his determination to win the job and perhaps he sees Lee as the sort of chap who he can mould to fit into his organisation. Could anyone really mould Claire?
Although Claire managed to keep her mouth shut in the later stages of the series, perhaps Sir Alan just wasn't willing to take a chance on her in case the brash 'rottweiler' we saw in the early tasks returned. Also, we have an inkling that Lee needed to win the series more than Claire - we have a feeling that she will rise to the top without Sir Alan's help.
As for the final task, both teams' performances were pretty poor. Claire and Lee's winning Roulette fragrance 'for real men' was straight out of the 70s (they should just have called it Brut and had done with it). Meanwhile, the only innovative thing about Alex and Helene's fragrance was the bottle - and that was the designer's idea. We would have been interested to see the bottle they had come up with if they had gone along with the name Helene suggested for the fragrance - Girth.
Our highlights from the final episode were the return of the unintentionallly hilarious Kevn (someone give him his own series) and, of course, the long awaited and long overdue sacking of Alex. Hooray!
What did you think of the final? Would you have bought either team's fragrance? Did Lee deserve to win? Was Claire robbed? Let us know what you think...
Plus, watch interviews with some of the most memorable candidates:
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i think i will enter for next year, i am @#$% at spelling i could easily lie about my CV, and it wouldn't take much to learn how to do a silly dinosuar impression. i reacon i could go a long way, now thats what i'm talking about. it should have been claire to win out of the four. but this series did not have anyone brilliant. its all getting a bit big brotherish, shame..
Posted by: alba_gur_brath on Thu Jun 12 09:50AM | Report abuseclaire was a big mouthed woman who had no sense come on guys pleeeease
Posted by: michael.ball15 on Thu Jun 12 09:51AM | Report abuseLucinda Ledgerwood was the only candidate who had the correct mix of panache, style and verve when managing a "team"to do it for me. There are far too many "team players" out there what business really needs is a person who commands respect and a willingness to be followed by the "lesser mortals" - forget the lumpen proletariat and its propensity for poor gutteral english peppered with glottal stops
Posted by: strathmore on Thu Jun 12 09:52AM | Report abuseLee didn't deserve to win, he lied on his cv, okay no big deal, but to get caught out on national telly wasn't smart, he was extremely nasty to sara in an earlier show and he couldn't cut it when it came down to it, on this last task claire blatantly carried him, if it wasn't for her stepping in at the presentation it would have collapsed, she saved the day, and even leading up to it lee was going to pieces while claire was calm and cllective and trying to help lee do the same, people may of thought lee was a nice bloke, but this was business contest, not a nice bloke contest.I hope karen brady keeps her word and gives claire a job as she told sir alan "if you dont employ her, i will" lets hope that's the case.
Posted by: stacy.hart on Thu Jun 12 09:52AM | Report abuseIf they were the best we could find out of 20000 applicants, I reckon this country must be truely knackered! Where is the next generation of business people going to come from to lead this country against rising economies such as China? Thats it for us, last one to leave please turn out the lights and all that......
Posted by: zakmat on Thu Jun 12 09:52AM | Report abuseI think Lee definitely deserved to win.Throughout the series he showed he is capable and has worked hard to improve his presentation skills. Unlike some of the contestants, he wasn't sly or bringing his past or age up to try to get the job! He has come accross as professional yet fun and honest and I would love to work with someone with so much drive.
Posted by: lejlakevric on Thu Jun 12 09:53AM | Report abuseOut of the choices he had, i agree with his descion although i dont think any of them should be employable.I thought cliare might just get it but no,i wondered if the gobbyness would come back & hit on the arse & her vouise does my head in, also she not so easy to mould how SAS wants his apprentice to be. I think Lee has some work to do on his presentation & if i was on the presenation alone Helene should have got it I liked the split bottle idea but as they said its dearer to make but i think it would fly of the shelves & i would buy if it was done in a ladies version I didint like to find out about him lying but i am sure he not the 1st It totally agree with Christopher - what we going to watch & comment on know boring big brother no thank you but at least i wont be so knackered on a thurs after my very long wednesday. Let hope when & if we have another series SAS can rectorfy his maistakes & get better candidates like the last series. I only watched half of the last & the whole of this one but i have to say i only watched this one for the entertaiment factor & to keep up with it but the only to i like was simon & Raef
Posted by: dstevens1984 on Thu Jun 12 09:54AM | Report abuseI come from a long line of successful business people in my family, barely any of them have formal education. Some of them can't even spell. A grasp of written english is not essential in comparison to having business a@#$%en and an ability to sell to people. Both Lee and Clare were good final candidates, but Lee was the better choice as, I believe, Clare would have been difficult to control within a business environment. She admitted she had changed jobs with alarming regularity due to "boredom", Reliability and an ability to compromise are important to an employer. I know they are to me in my business.
Posted by: seancronin on Thu Jun 12 09:55AM | Report abuseThis result only goes to show what a complete load of scripted @#$% the whole thing has turned into, though having said that, maybe Mr sugar is moving into double glazing, in which case, perfect.
Posted by: jro7563 on Thu Jun 12 09:55AM | Report abuseWell, credit where credit is due, but he wouldn't be welcome in my boardroom in that unshaven condition! Designer stubble? Hogwash - just sheer bloody laziness!
Posted by: colbenjamin on Thu Jun 12 09:57AM | Report abuse