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The Apprentice: Week Ten

The Apprentice hopeful Michael Sophocles
  • Posted at 11:17am
  • 28 May 2008
  • by PaulJones-RT
  • 3 comments

"I'm absolutely worn out," sighed Michael (well, nine weeks of lying, cheating and backstabbing will do that to you). And after the teams had been given their task of renting out luxury sports cars he took his Ferrari down a side street, presumably for a little snooze (he certainly wasn't going to do any business there).

Michael had already admitted he knew nothing about cars but in case we weren't convinced, his next choice of venue was a fruit and veg market on Portobello Road ("Get yer Ferraris 'ere! Just £65 an hour, yer tasty Italian Ferraris!")

Still, Michael did little to raise the hackles this week, he was just rubbish, that's all. In fact, when he failed to put in one of his slippery boardroom performances, I was almost disappointed. In the end, his lack of energy sapped any real pleasure I would have taken from his departure.

No, the real targets of my ire were Alex and Lee for their despicable treatment of Lucinda. First Alex stole the credit for one of her ideas, then team leader Lee sent her off on her own with no briefing (despite the fact that her knowledge of sports cars was on a par with Michael's). The truth is, team leader Lee didn't fancy managing the situation, he just wanted Lucinda out of the way so that he and Alex could enjoy their cosy little boys' club, complete with powerful Italian sports car. Then again, it was a strategy that clinched a convincing win, so maybe Lee knew what he was doing.

It was a long boardroom session for Renaissance this week, with Helene "this close" to going. It's true she hasn't made much of an impact so far. As a manager in week four she was pretty much absent and this time her lack of sales experience manifested itself as a big fat zero on the balance sheet.

But what Sir Alan really doesn't like about Helene is her background. She's been "tainted" by working for a big company. The "cosy carpets" have made her soft, apparently. Helene's corporate floor coverings, it seems, are the equivalent of Raef's "flowery language".

After Michael's poor performance in the driving seat, though, Sir Alan had no choice but to consign the Renaissance team leader to the scrap heap. Several times now Michael's wriggled out of a firing and to let him get away with it again would have made Sir Alan look a lot less shrewd a businessman than he's supposed to be.

So now, with the candidates' tip, Helene, having been slated by Sir Alan, and Lucinda in his bad books too, who's in pole position?

Pumped up Lee's a decent bet (he certainly has the right background). We shouldn't forget Alex either, who is far more Machiavellian than he makes out. But edging it, for me, is Claire, whose smartest moves have been to turn down the volume in the boardroom and start playing nice in the tasks.

As the preview to next week's show revealed, the candidates face interrogation and assessment by some keen business brains. But which of them will be rooted out as "prepared to bulls**t their way through" the series? (Which of them won't...?)

One thing's for sure - with just five candidates and two weeks left, we've definitely reached the business end of the competition.

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Comments

  • Posted on 30 May 2008
  • at 10:28am
  • by PaulJones-RT

The physical similarity is uncanny. But at least she doesn't have the voice of Su Pollard. Now that would be really annoying...

  • Posted on 29 May 2008
  • at 4:45pm
  • by becarama21@gmail.com

Reading your comments on Lucinda, one of my flatmates refers to her as "Penny Crayon" - very appropriate don't you think?!

  • Posted on 29 May 2008
  • at 12:15pm
  • by Ionaclio

Does anyone have any time for Lucinda, seemingly, "Our lady of Perpetual PMT" who cries if left alone for any length of time? How on earth was she chosen to compete in the series? I would like to see her go next week. My bet is on a female winner and I think Claire is the favourite at the moment, unless she becomes "gobby" again.

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