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The Apprentice: Week Eleven

James McQuillan from The Apprentice
  • Posted at 11:31am
  • 04 June 2009
  • by PaulJones-RT
  • 2 comments

"This is the job interview from hell!" No, really. This is the week when Sir Alan sends in his four hired hitmen (or rather three hitmen and one obligatory hitwoman) to take out three more of the candidates.

But these aren't the kind of assassins who favour a single, clean head-shot from a high-powered rifle mounted on the roof of a nearby building. Sir Alan's cronies like to get up close and personal, and toy with their victims before they dispatch them.

So we had trouble-shooter Claude Litner tell James, "I've had a look at your CV and it's fair to say that it is exceptional - exceptionally bad, that is." Yes, when this lot are after you, you can hear them coming a mile off.

Still, that's what makes it fun. After five series, we know exactly what the candidates are in for and so should they. Then again, I doubt that makes the interviews any easier. It probably makes them worse. You'd be tensed for impact throughout every question. I'd probably get my name wrong.

James seemed the worst affected. In one interview, he sat waiting for the first question with his mouth hanging open, a perfect copy of the lobotomised-convict photo he'd inexplicably chosen for his CV. In fact, the entire document was a gift for the "ruthless" Claude, littered as it was with phrases like, "I put a leash on people who spunk money up the wall," and "I bring ignorance to the table".

And despite how much I've enjoyed watching James on the show, I wasn't surprised, or too sad, to see him first out the boardroom door (although I was slightly thrown by Debra's tearful reaction!).

I loved the way James left, though. I really did not need to hear, yet again, the well-worn departure phrase "Thank you for a wonderful opportunity" - bye, Lorraine - so it was great when James ducked out with a simple, "It's been brilliant!" You've got to love him. Favourite candidate ever? I think so.

But, for me, Debra was best in the interviews. Confident and controlled like Kate, but passionate, not "robotic". And I thought, at the age of 23, that Sir Alan might have been beguiled by her potential. In the end, she was deemed too much of a risk. But as she left, Sir Alan fired her a fatherly "You keep in touch" - and winning genuine affection from Sir Alan is harder than winning The Apprentice.

Now we've got a tasty final on our hands, with Kate up against Yasmina. It's a tough one to call, but I think Sir Alan likes Yasmina's entrepreneurial flair, so I'm going to go for her.

Still, it all comes down to their performances in the final task - and which of the returning candidates they choose to help them. I don't know what the rules will be exactly, but is there maybe a way Philip could get fired one last time..?

**

Who do you think will win it? And who deserves it most? Post a comment below and let us know.

And don't forget to check out the rest of our great Apprentice content, including a gallery celebrating Nick and Margaret's amazing facial expressions.

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  • Posted on 07 June 2009
  • at 3:39pm
  • by Ezeekial

Kate to Win, she's amazingly talented

  • Posted on 05 June 2009
  • at 12:34pm
  • by Jan

I felt very guilty having been so nasty about Lorraine's attitude and now I find she has had a very hard life so far. But, now that she has been fired, I hope she will perhaps change a bit and be kinder to people. The interview process these folks went through was horrendous. I could feel prickles on my neck as I remembered some of the ghastly interviews I have been through and thankfully no tv cameras were present. I once forgot which door I had come in and as there was a choice of 2, I unfortunately walked in to the broom cupboard! I cannot believe that these intelligent candidates did not go over their CVs with a fine tooth comb to make sure that all information was correct. How did they expect to get past these ruthless "killer "interviewers? It beggar's belief. You could see James' demise coming long before he did...Debra still strikes me as being a very hard, kind of "no heart" person so I was glad to see her go but surprised that Sir Alan said he hoped he did not regret it, so sounds as if the contest is still open. I am still putting my money on "robotic" Kate as I think she is excellent and I for one, would like her on my staff. Yasmina also leaves me cold. She has a face that says, don't meddle with me, or else...Will be nice to see all the candidates re united and hopefully Lorraine will not say...my intuition says....or I shall hit the telly with a brick!

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