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From the opening moments of last night's Apprentice it was clear that we had another bunch of jumped-up, arrogant, cringeworthy know-it-alls battling for a job with Sir Alan - in other words we are in for another excellent series.
Ian can't even bring himself to say the word 'loser', Jennifer rates herself as 'the best salesperson in Europe', Claire says she likes to crash through everything like her family's german shepherd dog and scary Sara doesn't like to beat her opposition, she likes to thrash them.
The first task saw the group split into male and female teams and given a load of fish to sell at a London market. Easy? Well, no. The teams struggled to tell their Monkfish from their Sea Breams and ended up selling the fish at a fraction of the actual value.
Other highlights of the first episode included sulky Ian pursing his lips and declaring that he hated losing, Lucinda's kooky dress sense (do health and safety regulations allow people to sell fish wearing a purple woollen beret?) and, of course, Raef's hair - what's that all about?
The award for best line has to go to Sir Alan's sidekick Nick who asked the boys' team "Did it strike anybody that a £5 lobster is bloody cheap?"
The boardroom showdown saw the girls triumph and drippy boys' team leader Alex chose to take Nicholas and Raef back into the boardroom with him.
Things quickly escalated into a class war with Nicholas declaring that the group had split into the educated and the non-educated. Alex was quick to point out that he also had a university degree which led Nicholas to point out more differences between the boys - he likes to talk about arts and culture and they like to talk about football apparently. The writing was really on the wall for Nicholas at that point and Sir Alan rightly fired him.
What did you think of the first episode? Who are your favourites and which of the candidates are getting on your nerves. Let us know...
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User comments
I think that with this chaps lack of maturity he backed himself into a corner. Sometimes you have to stop digging. A barrister should know better, and why would a barrister by applying for a job which might not pay as well their existing one? This guy looks like a schmuck, who was another wanna be. Get rid of the glasses mate!!
Posted by: colinmanderson on Thu Mar 27 03:30PM | Report abuseWhy should anyone care about the whole thing ?
Posted by: sammontevelevy on Thu Mar 27 03:30PM | Report abusedoes anyone else think that there is something rather odd about Nicholas? or could it have been Nicola???? ;o)
Posted by: lm2510 on Thu Mar 27 03:31PM | Report abuseVery badly organised approach to a simple task. Alex simply delegated. A monkey could do that. A real leader is ruthlessly efficient in that he or she acts as the last line of defense. Checks everything. Second guesses to ensure things are right. A leader doesnt just sit back and apportion blame when somethng happens. What did the 'less educated' of the boys actually do ? Nothing. Just shout buy fish. Nicholas and Raef actually had the difficult jobs with no support offered. Alex is NOT a leader and should never lead again. Nicholas however represents every corrosive, vulgar and divisive trait that business does nt need. He is bookish. He is not emotionally intelligent - to make statements on class which is what he did indirectly is really sad. Class is perception. Talent is more important. Nicholas will fail in business. He needs a desk job. How can someone so intelligent ( in his eyes ) and into art and culture not be able to perform simple arithmetic and inject common sense. A lobster at £5. He is not very smart. He is not practical. He is a bookworm. Rightly he was fired. He is useless in the real world.
Posted by: amandabyrne1 on Thu Mar 27 03:32PM | Report abuseHe was so arrogant and pretentious good riddance
Posted by: segstar on Thu Mar 27 03:32PM | Report abuseThis was the right decision. There is no room for arrogant, jumped up academics in todays business world. This only goes to prove the value of experience over education. And fancy saying you don't like football to Sir Alan.
Posted by: al.rob on Thu Mar 27 03:35PM | Report abuseBest comment on the whole show, My Nan used to say "If you can piss you can paint" The look on Nicks face was priceless, just excellent, the twat deserved to get sacked. Watch out for Sara Dhada next. She already is proving to be a pain in the butt, always talking over everybody and never listening. She would do well to remember that a closed month gathers no feet!!!
Posted by: robstaples on Thu Mar 27 03:37PM | Report abusehe needs to seriously look at himself. what an arrogant man!!!! i wonder if he will ever succeed.
Posted by: nbanne42 on Thu Mar 27 03:40PM | Report abuseHe only got what he deserved. Who does he think he is making comments about others education. Perhaps some others mummys and daddys couldnt afford education like his. People like Nicholas make my skin crawl but i must say that he was not the only one of the group either. Looks like it will be a good series
Posted by: angelabaynham on Thu Mar 27 03:49PM | Report abuseOh dear. What a bunch of arrogant, jumped up twits this bunch are. Raef? Raef, what have you come as? For a young man, you are very odd indeed. Raef clearly thinks he's the dogs dangly bits and though he spoke with an impreccable toffs accent, it was mostly class-one tripe. He badly needs the assistance of a good hair dresser, double quick time and those pin stripe suits and handmade shirts? A little OTT methinks, Raef. As for Nick. Well, he was like something from a by-gone age. Perhaps he thinks the truly working class ought not to be educated at all? That way, his sort could continue to look down on the peasants toiling for a pittance. I liked Alex. I think Alex showed marvellous restraint in not thumping Nicholas when he was spouting about what he (as an educated person) likes in contrast to those persuits favoured by your average young chap. Goodbye Nick, time to get back to the Bar I think....
Posted by: wendihouse on Thu Mar 27 03:53PM | Report abuse