The Apprentice week 7

It's the seventh week and the 10 remaining contenders are off to Marrakesh to haggle in the souks. But rather than watching them enjoy two days of fun in the sun, this week's episode promises to be another cringe fest as Sir Alan's hapless troupe get to grips with hard-nosed Moroccan market culture:

9.05pm  The teams have been reshuffled and assigned new project managers, Lee and Jennifer. They have to buy 10 things in the market's 3,000 stores.

9.10  Oh no, Claire blew it on the first negotiation. She crumpled too quickly and handed over wads of cash for a juicer. Saving only £1 on the asking price. Lee's team are tougher. They walk out when they don't get the deal they want on the clock. Good work. Oh no, Claire blew it again! Shut her up please. She can't negotiate for toffee and now they've paid too much for the carpet.

9.18  Michael and Jenny are hamming it up, a bit over the top, but they get the cow hide - for a third of the price. What a result. He may be arrogant but he can negotiate. The other arrogant guy, Raef, also gets a good deal on a hide. An excellent deal in fact. Arrogance, or is it confidence?, is winning the day.

9.20 Jennifer's lack of research is really embarrassing. She, and her team, believe Kosher chicken is a Muslim food. She's getting people to say Allah over chickens. I can't believe her ignorance and lack of research. I'm cringing.

9.25  Michael and Jenny have bribed the tennis store not to string the other team's tennis rackets as the  end of the task draws near. Pretty underhand. Meanwhile some member's of Jennifer's team are suffering from their lack of preparation and attention to detail again - they discover they have the wrong colour clock. I don't fancy Jennifer's chances with Sir A later. She's all over the place.

Jennifer's team have found a green clock at last. Lee's team are up against it though looking for their last item - a juicer. It's tense. The shops are closing for prayers. With five minutes to go they get a second-hand juicer - the price isn't great, but they've got it.

9.30  Lee's team are the winners. They spent £413.61 and got all the correct items, their research paid off. Jennifer's team spent £449.60 but were disallowed two items which incurred penalties giving a total of £603.59. Jennifer's team face the firing squad.

9.35 So who will cop it tonight? Jennifer with her lack of preparation and research; Claire with her rubbish negotiating skills; Or Michael - a Jewish boy - who didn't know what Kosher meant? Or Jenny who is the chief blame shifter? I think Sir A should sack the lot.

9.45 Jenny is fired. 

9.50 Alex is saved.

9.54 Jennifer (pictured) is fired.

9.55 Claire and Michael are saved.

A great episode and, surprisingly, there were lessons to take back to the office. Ignore all the boardroom banter and nonsense; that's just great TV. A project manager is appointed to lead a team to success and if they don't they need to accept responsibility. No ifs or buts. If Jennifer had done some research and formulated a strategy - which her team could buy into - she might still be in the race. However, it is a surprise that no one else in the team stepped in to rescue the project at any point. This doesn't bode well for the survivors of Jennifer's team.

I'm not a great fan of Lee's swearing or his sales-rep style but he project managed well, he did his research, had a strategy, gained his team mates buy-in and he reaped the rewards. A good result. My only slight hesitation is that Raef seemed at times to be the more natural leader with Lee looking to him for approval. The next episode should prove interesting.

(Picture from BBC The Apprentice website)

Comments

[PDL]

What a complete bunch of idiots. The chicken business for starters. That stupid Claire and her big mouth, when will she learn to shut up and that "waste of space" Michael. It wasn't that Lee's team won as they were no good either but Jennifers team were just so much more idiotic. I didn't like him from the start but the more I watch the more it seems like Raef is walking way with the prize. Put people on TV and common sense just goes out the window. Despite them being such idiots, it did make fantastic viewing. Well done to Sir Alan.

[Tom Hanna]

Great viewing but can Sr Alan really be serious about employing any of them never mind paying them £100k? Or do the production company give him the money to pay them for a year after which they are quietly 'let go'? Come to think of it I can't imagine any 'Apprentice' contestant doing anything quietly!

[IAN PAYNE [WALSALL - ENGLAND]]

I am absolutely amazed that these so called ambassadors of business have got so far in their business careers with the little knowledge of life they have. It is shameful that a half Jewish person did not know anything about Kosha food or that aybody else on both teams were none the wiser.

Sir Alan should have sacked all of them in my view !!!

[Jonathan Spencer]

Forgiveness is a virtue, I guess, but Michael was very lucky indeed not be fired. There's a difference between the stupid actions of youthful thrusting ambition and bribery. Perhaps he's being set up for a higher fall. Then again, I don't think I've ever seen a more devious spoiler than Claire. But it all adds up to a brilliant programme. And Adrian Charles does a very good job as well in the review on BBC2.

[Alex]

Not the most entertaining Apprentice analysis I've ever read, but I suppose it is somewhat accurate.

Why hasn't Michael's limited intellect and inability to develop a mental age above 5 led him to do something really idiotic yet? I can't wait to see what he'll have to do to make Sir A see what a waste of space he is. At least Nick and Margaret aren't quite so short-sighted...

[Vincent Wong]

"Are you Jewish or are you not Jewish? If you're not sure, take your trousers down and find out!" What a classic comment from Sir Alan!

[Paul]

Joy and desperation in equal measure as the chinny one goes (hooray), only to be followed by the Lady Macbeth-ish Jennifer (cue gnashing and wailing of teeth), though it has to be said she was pretty useless. I would have preferred the half Jewish Greek twit to have been shown the door, but his time has to be coming, along with Big Claire. Basically, they're all sh*te.... but, Perleazzzzze Sirr allan, NOT Raef!

[JAL]

I hope that the production company are not selling this series abroad. It would be embarrassing for anyone to watch this and believe that this is the best of British business talent. There is no intelligence and no business skills in this bunch of wannabe TV celebrities. My daughter is six years old and knows what Kosher food is. Why would Michael put "Nice Jewish Boy" on his CV other than to try and win favour with Sir Alan. Nice try but I think you'll be gone next week...

[BRIAN HILSON]

The fact that these people have degrees is a damning and depressing indictment of the modern education system.I wonder if their degrees are kosher.

[Eliza]

Why contestants are trying to cover their visible lack of grey matter with self-confidence? My smart Japanese friend answered... Only an empty box makes a lot of noise. Hmm - food for thought?

[bushra]

we stared at the screen in disbelief when jennifer's team started dancing when the call to prayer was played on the alarm clock. for once i'm giving credit to alan sugar for this task and showing just ignorant some of these bozos are.

[Is ethics dead?]

We were amazed that neither Sir Alan Sugar, nor his team members made a stronger point of the illegality and immorallity of Jenny and Michael trying to bribe a supplier to damage competition. That was a missed opportunity to make the point about ethical business - or are such deals acceptable to the programmes' participants and producers?

[Bhavina Maistry]

"Take your trousers down to make sure you're jewish!"??? Should viewers be concerned about the political incorrectness of Sir Alan Sugar? Sophocles may have lied about being a nice jewish boy, but am sure an employment tribunal will see this comment from Sir Alan Sugar from a different angle!

[I Dont hate Jennifer]

re jennifer nick states "there is something of the night about her".

Saw her on Irish telly the other night, and really, she came across as warm hearted sparky and funny. Whatever about her organisational abilities, perhaps Nick is better off shutting up if only for his own sake. He is running the risk of sounding like a cranky crabby biased old man. thanks to nick, I will now visit Jennifer's new store in Dublin. if he hadn't been so bitchy i would not be bothered.

[I Dont hate Jennifer]

Also,may i add, that nobody acknowledged that Sara had some very good ideas for the greeting card, but she was completely ignored. Personally i would employ her she just gets on with it quietly. Why doesnt someone fire floppy haired Alex, he does shag all and is a total bitch. I cant stand passive aggressive Lucinda either. I dont like the other cow either the one with the eyeliner, Helen is it? Claire is ok in my view, gobby of course, but basically i could work for her. Raef, everyone adores him so much there isnt much i can add there. the others are too boring to write about.