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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 Still think the other teams idea was better and that Alex should of won.
Posted by: deathgeordie on Thu Jun 12 08:05AM | Report abuseSimon was brilliant, real man and so is Lee. Sir Alan likes people who are prepared to work hard, not some clever bastad who will argue.
Posted by: roz.benfield on Thu Jun 12 08:05AM | Report abuseClair deserved to win hands down. Disgusted that SIr ALan hired a person who lied in his appliaction
Posted by: hazelford on Thu Jun 12 08:08AM | Report abuseNot sure the best man won this year. But he is a good worker and i guess that is what sir alan wants. Helene and alex did not look their best on the 'your fired' show i think the public opinion is valid for those two. Anyhow, another year done, might think about going forward for next season.
Posted by: jason_leeds2000 on Thu Jun 12 08:09AM | Report abuseI would have been happy if either claire or lee won as I liked them both - don't think claire will struggle to find a job!!
Posted by: jane633 on Thu Jun 12 08:10AM | Report abuseLee was my absolute favourite from the start he will do fantastic!!
Posted by: j.e.milner on Thu Jun 12 08:10AM | Report abuseBarrow boys always stick together. The two oiks deserve one another. Lee is never going to rise to any position in Sugar's business. He just hasn't the intellect to succeed in anything. Sugar hired him because he's the only one who was most like him and to whom he was able to relate. Pathetic decision and highly predictable. CHANGE ALAN SUGAR and get a really motivational and best practice, true business leader into the series. Otherwise dump it as it's become boring and predictable.
Posted by: dcrickmore on Thu Jun 12 08:11AM | Report abuseBest decision, Lee will give his all. Regarding his CV - throwing stones and glass houses occurs to me.
Posted by: jts0556_uk on Thu Jun 12 08:13AM | Report abuseThis is a great programe and hats off to Sir Alan, but I think that Claire was robbed of the top spot. Lets face it anything is better than watching this terrible football night after night on the two major channels.
Posted by: benreynoldsfrost on Thu Jun 12 08:13AM | Report abuseThis final look a bit questionable to me because the two who did not deserve to be in the final were in the same team ... and surprisingly they lost the task. The team leaders were not chosen at random but by SAS himself and so was the winning and losing team whereas usually it is more subject to the earnings of each team or to other experts' opinions. Nevertheless, I am happy that Lee won; he deserved it as much as Claire (if not more than her). He has always been consistent through the entire task while Claire was strategising to get rid of the others because she knew she would pass the boardroom with flying colours.
Posted by: uevallade on Thu Jun 12 08:15AM | Report abuse