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The Apprentice: Week Seven

Phillip and Kate from The Apprentice 2009
  • Posted at 11:47am
  • 07 May 2009
  • by PaulJones-RT
  • 4 comments

The downturn in the property market has seen an accompanying decline in the number of green and yellow minis screeching around our roads - and if you're as happy about that as I am, you'll also join me in celebrating estate agent Philip's eviction from his well-appointed west London penthouse.

Yes, the Durham bull has gone - but it wasn't the empty order book, it was beauty killed the beast… Actually, when Lorraine first suggested that it was "Kate's beauty" distracting Philip and Ben from their sales task, I wasn't convinced. Yes, Kate is a decent-looking girl but to me she's a little too reminiscent of Janice from The Muppet Show.

Lorraine obviously had some inside information, though, because there was indeed some serious flirting going on in the back of Kate and Philip's car and - for the first and last time - I felt slightly sorry for Ben, who was a bit of a gooseberry. God knows what Kate and Philip would have gotten up to if he hadn't been there, but being left alone in the back of a chauffer driven car with tinted windows might well have given them some ideas.

Either way, Kate, Philip and Ben too (see, it even sounds like a sex comedy) did seem to be treating the task like a school field trip and were happy to have escaped for the day from headmistress Lorraine. "We shouldn't be having so much fun when we haven't made any sales," giggled Kate like the proverbial schoolgirl.

But she didn't see the funny side in the boardroom, sacrificing Philip to save herself. "I had to do it," she said later, demonstrating that along with her charisma and intelligence she has that ruthless streak the business world - at least as it's depicted in The Apprentice - demands.

Still, in the end, Philip only has himself to blame. He's been horribly arrogant throughout, yet he has nothing to back up his claims about his own abilities. In the boardroom this week, when asked why he thought he was the best salesperson, all he could come up with was "I just know". And if that's the best you can manage when your arse is on the line, you deserve to go.

For the second week running, then, Lorraine has triumphed over Philip. But it doesn't change the fact that she really isn't very good either. Going on hunches and gut instinct is surely the antithesis of good business practice and in pitches she comes across as uninformed and pushy. I don't think she should last much longer and she certainly couldn't be Sir Alan's apprentice.

The surprise package for me was Empire project manager Mona. Based on her listless performances on recent tasks, I'd come to think of Mona as the female Nooral, but she led her team by example this week with some particularly assured sales negotiations.

While Mona and co celebrated their worthy win back at the penthouse, Philip got the black cab home. It must be nice, all this being chauffeured around - although I doubt Phil had as much fun in the back seat on his own as he would have done with Kate.

**

What did you think of this week's episode? Post and comment below and let us know.

And don't forget to check out the rest of our great Apprentice content.

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Comments

  • Posted on 13 May 2009
  • at 2:37pm
  • by Gemma

Will it be Ben tonight then? Or maybe one of the outspoken ladies, or should I say, ladettes? One thing that they all need to learn is "respect". Sir Alan must be disgusted with the behaviour in the Board Room and last week, they just carried on with their slanging matches seeming to forget that Sir Alan was still in the room. I don't think I would want to employ any of them, let alone work with them.

  • Posted on 11 May 2009
  • at 4:07pm
  • by jasonbenali

Another blagger bites the dust. Now for Ben...

  • Posted on 10 May 2009
  • at 9:16pm
  • by Stirling Foxton-Ackroyd

When you look at him you think estate agent, when he opens his mouth you know. A shining example of what an obnoxious waste of time they are.

  • Posted on 07 May 2009
  • at 6:42pm
  • by james piers-oxley

I am sincerely grateful that philip has been given his marching orders. For no other reason than that I had to have the subtitles on through out the programme, as I was unable to depict what he was saying...

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