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Welsh woman among Apprentice hopefuls Mar 20 2007


A quantum physicist from Llanellen, a would-be secret agent and Kate Middleton’s former boss are among the candidates in the new series of The Apprentice.

An ex-Army lieutenant, a housewife, two car salesmen and three single mothers are also among the hopefuls.

The third series of the hit show is returning with 16 candidates battling it out for a £100,000-a-year job with Amstrad tycoon Sir Alan Sugar.

The series has transferred from BBC2 to BBC1 and kicks off on March 28.

Among the eight male contenders is Rory Laing, 27, who previously ran an upmarket catering firm supplying public school-educated bar staff for Henley Regatta and Cowes Week.

His employees included Prince William’s girlfriend, Kate Middleton.

He said of Kate in 2004: "I pay her only £5.25 an hour. But she’s pretty, so she takes plenty in tips."

Laing, from Bristol, is now bankrupt and working as a waiter.

The female hopefuls include Gerri Blackwood, a 33-year-old from Woking, Surrey, who gave up a job offer with MI5 to take part in The Apprentice.

She was offered both in the same day – and ended up choosing Sir Alan over James Bond.

Blackwood faces some tough competition from the other women.

Katie Hopkins, 31, a global brand consultant from Exeter, Devon, was sponsored through university by the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and claims she can "out press-up" the men.

Brainiest of the bunch is quantum physicist Dr Sophie Kain, 32, from Llanellen in Wales.

She has a PhD in theoretical physics and is a principal research scientist for an aviation and shipping company.

Mother-of-two Natalie Wood, 29, from Upminster, Essex, has a business degree but gave up her career to bring up her children.

Now ready to get back to work – and six stone lighter after joining WeightWatchers – she has declared herself a big fan of Sir Alan.

"I like the way he is with people. Who needs the truth wrapped up with fairy lights?" she said.

The men include Paul Callaghan, 27, from Southampton, who graduated from Sandhurst and spent six months serving as an infantry commander in Basra.

Adam Hosker, also 27 and from Blackburn, Lancashire, is a car salesman who grew up on a council estate and used to sell match programmes at Blackburn Rovers.

All the contestants have quit their jobs to take part in the show.

Many have come from humble beginnings like Sir Alan.

But in the first show he warns them: "The worst kind of schmooze that I can’t stand is ‘Sir Alan, I’m just like you – I came from a humble background and worked my way up’. Well, don’t lay that rubbish on me."

He adds: "I am looking for someone who is drop-dead shrewd.

"This is the job interview from hell. This is no gameshow – there won’t be some busty blonde waiting outside to hug you so that you can sob into her bosoms. What there will be is a black cab waiting to take you to the station."

More than 10,000 hopefuls applied for the show.

Challenges in the new series include selling British produce at a French farmers’ market, designing accessories for dogs and selling sweets at London Zoo.

Each week an apprentice will hear Sir Alan’s famous catchphrase: "You’re fired."

The two teams will live together in a multimillion-pound mansion in Notting Hill, west London.

BBC1 controller Peter Fincham said: "The Apprentice returned in style last week with an incredibly successful Comic Relief special and I’m delighted that BBC1 is the new home for one of the most compelling formats of recent years and the redoubtable Sir Alan Sugar."

These are the 16 hopefuls vying to win The Apprentice:
How they line up- The girls:

Jadine Johnson
Age: 27
From: Harrow, Middlesex
Career: Financial adviser
Qualifications: Banking exams

Jadine is a single mother with a young daughter. Her first taste for business came aged seven when she shrunk crisp packets in the oven and sold them as key rings for 20p each.

Her first job was at McDonald’s.

She won a place at university but quit to support her daughter.

Jadine later moved into banking and was promoted three times in her first year.

"This is my chance to show my true potential and exceed my chances of giving myself and my daughter a real life."

Dr Sophie Kain
Age: 32
From: Llanellen, Wales
Career: Quantum physicist
Qualifications: PhD in Theoretical Physics

Sophie admits to being "a control freak who doesn’t suffer fools gladly".

She is principal scientist for a major aviation and shipping design company.

She is inspired by innovation and is particularly annoyed that she did not dream up the iPod.

Her first jobs were sweeping the floor of her local hair salon and working on the checkout at Sainsbury’s. Her hobbies include playing chess and singing open-mic jazz.

"I think I’m one of the few people who are blessed with using both sides of my brain. I can understand the technical side of things but also have vision."

Natalie Wood
Age: 29
From: Upminster, Essex
Career: Housewife
Qualifications: MBA, Open University

Mother-of-two Natalie started out as a receptionist at a car dealership before moving into the City.

As a teenager she swam for England but gave it up before the 1993 Commonwealth Games to attend the London College of Fashion.

She lost six stone through WeightWatchers and recently completed a degree course in French.

"I admire Sir Alan’s achievements and attitude. I like the way he is with people. Who needs the truth wrapped up with fairy lights? Say it how it is!"

Katie Hopkins
Age: 31
From: Exeter
Career: Global brand consultant
Qualifications: BA in Economics, MBA

Katie is "an alpha female and a ruthless natural leader with a huge drive" who is "in it to win it".

She is also a single mother of two.

She was sponsored through university by the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, and claims she can "out press-up" most men.

"My ambition is to be CEO of a large global brand builder by 40."

Ghazal Asif
Age: 23
From: Glasgow
Career: Business development manager
Qualifications: Highers

The 23-year-old is the youngest ever candidate on The Apprentice.

Ghazal plans to be a millionaire by the time she is 30.

In her previous job she was responsible for a turnover of £6 million worth of services per annum.

She can speak five languages and at a recent charity event raised more than £8,000 in two weeks for victims of the Asian tsunami.

"I rate myself as a talented individual with strong business acumen."

Kristina Grimes
Age: 36
From: Harrogate
Career: Pharmaceutical sales manager
Qualifications: BSc Hons in Mathematics

Kristina is a "ruthless single mother".

She had her son at a young age and cared for him while studying for her university degree.

In her previous job as a regional sales manager for a pharmaceutical company she managed a team of reps across the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Kristina is a keen horse rider and often competes in events.

:: "To me, Sir Alan is an inspiration – where he started, what he has achieved and his directness."

Naomi Lay
Age: 26
From: Cornwall, now lives in Vauxhall, south London
Career: Advertising sales manager
Qualifications: BA in European Studies

Naomi is "super-efficient, super-confident and sassy".

Her entrepreneurial spirit was revealed at a young age when she began charging her parents to remove caterpillars from their gooseberry bushes.

She attended university in London and studied for a year at the Sorbonne in Paris.

She went into advertising and worked her way up from PA to sales team manager in three years.

Naomi spent time in Sierra Leona where her father worked in diamond and gold mining, and also produced a calendar of naked miners from Cornwall to raise money for a mine rescue charity.

She has run both the London and New York marathons.

"People that know me would describe me as loud, motivated, fun, determined, compassionate and energetic."

Gerri Blackwood
Age: 33
From: Woking, Surrey
Career: Transport development manager
Qualifications: BA Hons in Tourism

Gerri’s first taste of business was trading sweets to kids in her street for a huge profit.

Her first paid job was earning £2 an hour in the local fish and chip shop.

She joined Thomas Cook as a travel agent and moved to a sales position with Eurostar.

Gerri trained as an air traffic controller and was offered a job with MI5 - which she turned down in favour of The Apprentice.

She also offers a PA-type service to friends and relatives who need help buying Christmas and birthday presents.

"It’s easy to have confidence when you are a big fish in your own pond, but to suddenly be thrown into a sea of sharks you have a bit of a reality check."

The Boys:

Tre Azam
Age: 27
From: Loughton, Essex
Career: Marketing and design consultant
Qualifications: 2 A-levels

Tre is "forthright, opinionated and a bit of a maverick".

He started work aged 10, building PCs in his father’s electronics factory.

By 16 he was teaching clients how to build computers and training them in software.

At 17 he was doing business in Europe and Asia for the family firm before moving to the US, where he ran the company for over two years.

In his teens he was the victim of a serious car accident and spent more than a year in hospital. It left him temporarily wheelchair-bound but he is now fully recovered.

Tre’s hobbies include martial arts and philosophy.

"I’ve applied for The Apprentice because it will give me the opportunity to put myself up against some of the best in the country."

Rory Laing
Age: 27
From: Bristol
Career: Bankrupt entrepreneur
Qualifications: BA Hons in Product Design

Rory is a self-confessed risk-taker.

He previously employed more than 700 staff across three companies, supplying public school-educated staff to run bars and events at Henley Regatta and Cowes Week.

He was declared bankrupt and currently works as a waiter.

His first job was plucking turkeys during the Christmas holidays. As a student he made his own elderflower wine and sold it to fellow pupils.

"People say to me ‘Learn from your experiences.’ Well, I’m bored of learning from experience. I’ve had enough of them. It’s time now to cash in on it."

Andy Jackson
Age: 36
From: Leeds but now living in Kirriemuir, Scotland
Career: Car sales manager
Qualifications: Diploma in Retail Management

Father-of-three Andy spends his spare time buying and selling cars on eBay, and also playing online poker.

His first money-making venture was at five years old when he sold firewood to people on his council estate.

While at school he had a part-time job in Woolworths.

"My passions are winning, winning and winning."

Simon Ambrose
Age: 27
From: Clapham, south London
Career: Internet entrepreneur
Qualifications: MA in Economics from Cambridge University

Simon can speak six different languages and performed with Cambridge Footlights.

He was made redundant from his last job as an investment banker and has since tried his hand at a number of internet ventures.

His first job was assisting in a discount jewellery shop which taught him to differentiate between real and fake diamonds.

He once booked a table for 10 at a top restaurant by posing as a Manchester United football agent.

My dad bought me an Amstrad PC when I was six and I learned how to programme it. I still have it. It will be a dream come true if I end up working for him."

Paul Callaghan
Age: 27
From: Southampton
Career: Ex-Army Lieutenant
Qualifications: BSC in Engineering Physics

Paul graduated from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.

He became HR and Resource Manager for the Army, in charge of recruiting potential officers into the Royal Artillery.

He was posted to Iraq as Infantry Commander and spent six months serving in Basra.

His time in the military has taught him to have "no time for dillydallying".

Paul’s first job was selling jumpers on his parents’ market stall.

His hobbies include skydiving, polo, skiing and yachting.

"My lack of commercial experience might be a weakness but my leadership and organisational qualities are definite strengths."

Ifti Chaudrhi
Age: 33
From: Egham, Surrey
Career: Company director
Qualifications: BSc in Product Design

Iftikhar – Ifti to his friends – was once a police officer "with the highest arrest record of any trainee in Woking".

He claims to have built his tile business from scratch by starting with just half a tile.

He has a black belt in martial arts, was a double bronze medallist at the Tae Kwon Do World Championships in 1993, and is currently applying to join the 2012 Olympic team.

"When you can break bricks with your hands, you believe in your head you can do anything and in business I take on the same ethic."

Adam Hosker
Age: 27
From: Blackburn, Lancashire
Career: Car sales manager
Qualification: BA Hons in Sports Management

Adam comes from a single-parent family on a council estate in Blackburn and now claims to earn three times the salary of the kids he went to school with.

Aged 12, he ran a fantasy football league on his estate and charged people £1 a go.

His first job was shelf-stacking in a supermarket.

His favourite job was selling match programme at Blackburn Rovers where he "usually managed to sell them all in half an hour to drunken away fans".

In his spare time he coaches a local under-16s football team.

"My strengths and weaknesses are often the same thing. On occasion my confidence can become arrogance."

Lohit Kalburgi
Age: 25
From: London
Career: Telecoms manager
Qualifications: Bachelor of Commerce

Lohit was born in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates and has since travelled widely, living in five different countries.

He gained his degree from Auckland University in New Zealand.

At 16 he started a company making commemorative towels.

A year later he landed his first office job – sorting mail in a telecommunications company – but quit after three hours because it was too boring.

"I would like people to see me as the nice guy – my game plan is to be myself and get on with things." IcWales

WHAT if the contestants on Celebrity Love Island never left?

Impossible, say you. Without them what would the Star do for news and who would appear on Channel 4’s 100 Best Reality TV rows? Hell, who would keep the rehab business afloat?

But just imagine if each year the new coterie of celebs were greeted on the island by last year’s batch? Every year, Big Brother just got bigger? That patch of I’m A Celebrity jungle expanded year on year. Pro-celebrity dancers never stopped moving to the music but formed an ever-lengthening Conga line?

And what would Alan Sugar do with the pushy, fame-hungry wannabes who appear on his The Apprentice show? Can he have more than one apprentice?

But Sugar need not worry. As the Telegraph reports, Tim Campbell, hired in 2005, is leaving Sugar's company.

Campbell, a former London Transport manager, and therefore right to fear that he is unemployable in the greater world, was given a job in the health and beauty department of Sir Alan's electronics firm Amstrad.

This not a joke. Sugar does not joke. We give little succour to the malicious rumour that Sugar invented a division in order to ensure his newest recruit was kept as far removed from the actual business of flogging discount electronics as possible.

Campbell was given the job on merit. And he stayed a while. But they don't all last so long. As the paper notes, last year’s winner, the flirty, watery blonde Michelle Dewberry, lasted only a few months in the job. She left to set up her own eponymous consultancy.

Now Campbell is leaving. As the Telegraph tells us, he’s setting up a male grooming business and a social enterprise initiative to help entrepreneurs.

apprentice_winner.jpgThis leaves the way open for a new Apprentice. Says Sir Allan: "Last year I wasn't particularly impressed with the calibre of candidates. I always have the problem of wondering if they are here for the right reasons.”

What the right reasons are is anyone’s guess - just as we can speculate on why Sugar would perform in such a show.

All we say is may the candidate who won’t stick it out win. anorak

25 March 2007
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE SUGAR BABES?

EXCLUSIVE We track down the Apprentice's hits and misses

QUAKING newcomers battling to be Sir Alan Sugar's TV Apprentice will know what he expects this time around.

"I don't like bull*******s, schmoozers or liars," he rasps.

The Amstrad tycoon, worth £800million, spoke out after revealing how he almost quit the hit 12-week show because he was so "disappointed" by last year's contestants.

Before the launch of the new BBC1 series, which begins on Wednesday at 9pm, Sir Alan added: "Part and parcel of me agreeing to do a third series was that the calibre needed to be looked at very carefully so we didn't slide into becoming some sort of Big Brother on wheels."

SundayMirror

Apprentice pair fired up for love

THE NEW series of The Apprentice has been rocked by an AFFAIR between two of the stars.

Wannabe tycoons Katie Hopkins and Paul Callaghan have fallen in love while living in the house the contestants share during filming.

Their romps have caused huge tension on the show and left fierce boss Sir Alan Sugar fuming.

But, unlike the previous secret romance between high fliers Michelle Dewberry and Syed Ahmed, this fling is exposed on the new TV series which begins on Wednesday.

NewsoftheWorld

'Tougher tasks, better people', says Sir Alan BBC

Fear for 'fragile' Apprentice Sun

I'M FIRED! THE DAY I TRIED TO BECOME THE APPRENTICE
EXCLUSIVE
Julie.Mccaffrey@Mirror.Co.Uk 27/03/2007



I'M surrounded by 30 of the cockiest job applicants in the country and the air is thick with smugness.

"I hope you haven't travelled far to get here," says the man to my right as soon as I sit down. "Because once they've seen me, they won't be interested in anyone else."

Whatever you say pal! It's day one of the auditions for The Apprentice at the Novotel in Glasgow and we're all desperate for the chance to be Sir Alan Sugar's new £100,000-a-year employee.

Even if we don't land the job we'd all love to get on telly and hear Sir Alan growl: "You're fired!"

Only 16 hopefuls can make it through to the series, which kicks off tomorrow night on BBC1, and it's not long before the knives come out.

As soon as one sharp-suited man nips to the loo, his name is called for interview. Quick as a flash, a bloke next to him says: "Sorry, he's gone home. He wants to withdraw his application and told me to tell you."

Everyone suspects he's lying but no one says a word.

Mind you, I was in no position to talk. The references on my application form are fake, and I've "exaggerated" my work experience. The job I once had franking mail for a double-glazing company for £1.90 an hour has been spun into a £50,000-a-year marketing position.

Now, sitting across a desk from my interviewer, it's time to see if I can sweet-talk my way into Sir Alan's famous boardroom.

"What makes you think you could handle Sir Alan's dressing downs?" frowns Martin, one of the production staff. "I've had bigger bollockings than he could ever dish out," I say, truthfully.

"Do you really think you can win?" he probes. "What's your strategy?"

I spew out a few buzzwords, like how I like to "brainstorm" and "think outside of the box".

Incredibly, I'm asked to stay for a second interview with 10 others. And things get even bitchier.

"He's got no chance," says a man nodding towards another candidate. "Look at that cheapo suit."

One guy saunters in, beaming. "I knew I'd get through," he boasts. "I did very well in there. I had the interviewer in stitches. I'm all personality, me."

Well maybe he needed something more than personality because after a short second interview he walks dejectedly past the waiting room on his way home.

Everyone sniggers. "Serves him right for being such a tosser," says a girl with a sharp, black bob who looks severe enough even to scare Sir Alan.

Everyone says they feel confident, but the sweaty foreheads and the fidgety fingers suggest otherwise. Another girl breezily announces that she can't believe she's through to the next round, considering she hasn't seen a single episode of the hit show.

"Great!" grins the blonde opposite her. "Now I'm mentally scoring you off my list of likely rivals."

And she's right - the girl is soon sent packing.

One man makes a real effort to put people at ease. But when he's sent home after his interview the guys who were chatting to him say: "I knew he wouldn't get through. He was all talk and no ability."

A balding man with trendy glasses leans over to me and whispers: "It's pretty nasty, isn't it? But it's best to remember that no one here is your friend. There's only one job."

Although it's against the rules to give out personal information, he says he's a car salesman and his name is Andy Jackson.

When I'm called for my second interview, Andy wishes me good luck but I suspect he doesn't mean it.

He must have had some luck himself though because the next time I see his face, it's staring out from a picture of the BBC's final line-up.

My next interviewer machine-guns questions at me before my bum touches the seat. "How would you cope if your group was given a deadline you knew it was impossible to meet? What do you think of Sir Alan as a boss and a mentor? What's the last groundbreaking thing you did?"

My lies seem to work as I'm asked to stay for a third round of interviews, this time in front of a panel.

"Do you have a good sense of humour?" they ask.

"Yes I do," I reply.

"What's your best joke then?"

I tell a mildly offensive joke about a cat's bum. The lady in the middle forces a smile. But the man and woman either side look like someone has just died.

Well, I have a sense of humour - but sadly they didn't.

The panel grills me on my knowledge of Sir Alan's company Amstrad, so it's a good job I swotted like mad the previous night.

The questions come thick and fast. How much of my company's net profit can I claim to be personally responsible for? Can I give an example of how I'd have done a task better than previous contestants on the show? What's the best business advice I've ever been given?

It's exhausting and my face is burning, yet I make it through to the final stage of the day's audition - the screen test.

Without a chance to fix my hair or lippy, I'm told to stand against a wall and give my name and age.

It's like facing a firing squad. "So you're in marketing," says the woman behind the camera. "How would you sell yourself?"

It's a question too far. I burst into a fit of nervous giggles which won't stop - until the camerawoman pokes her head from behind the lens and fixes me with an evil glare.

Nervously, I babble on about how I will work harder than any other contestant, how I will inspire everyone from Sir Alan through to the Amstrad receptionist, and will be such a good team player that the other contestants will feel guilty for trying to knife me. My interviewer doesn't look too convinced.

A week later, I open an email from The Apprentice producers.

It reads: "Although the panel were extremely impressed with your application, we regret to inform you we are unable to take it further this time around."

I've been fired. And I didn't even make it to Sir Alan's office. Mirror

"I'm back - and I'm tougher than ever," vows "Surallan" Sugar in his Daily Mirror column today as he analyses last night's opening show of The Apprentice. However, there's a curious glitch in the copy, where Sugar describes how contestant Tre Azam "hoodwinked his team mates into thinking he simply thought up the team name The Cuff". Erm, as anyone who actually watched the show could tell you, the name Tre came up with - and taken from a company he had worked for - was Certus, later changed to Eclipse when Sugar rumbled him ("Your card is marked, old chap," he warned darkly as he prepared to board his chopper). So does Sugar not watch his own show? Is he suffering from a bout of amnesia? Two more likely scenarios suggest themselves. Perhaps a subbing error scrambled the phrase "he thought up the team name Certus off the cuff". Or perhaps Sugar doesn't have anything to do with writing the column and it's the work of some unfortunate ghoster. As "Surallan" would say, somebody screwed up and at the end of the day, someone will ... get ... fired. guardian

THE APPRENTICE EXCLUSIVE -ANDY DIDN'T WAKE UP AND SELL THE COFFEE

By Sir Alan Sugar



I'M back - and I'm tougher than ever. The new series of The Apprentice started last night and I've got 16 high flyers trying to impress me or I tell
'em: "You're fired!"

It's a cut-throat business competing to land a six-figure salaried job in my empire, and over the next 12 weeks I'll be telling you straight what I think of the person that doesn't make the grade.

This year I got more involved in the candidate selection and I think you'll agree, as the series rolls out, that there's some very smart contenders this time.

Last night, as is tradition, I set the candidates a down-to-grassroots-task and asked them to sell coffee on the streets. Before we even started the task we had a bit of a drama over the team name selection for the boys. Tre Azam hoodwinked his team mates into thinking he simply thought up team name The Cuff.

But I tore him down a peg or two in front of everyone after I discovered he tried to use his own firm's name. I had to remind them all never to underestimate me.

He made a right plonker of himself - but I guess you can't blame him for trying it on and promoting his own company.

Andy Jackson was railroaded into being team leader for the boys. The poor bloke dug a hole for himself by talking too much in the group discussion. If he'd shut up, who knows what would have happened.

The girls chose Jadine Johnson, who put herself forward.

I get the impression people think they're being very clever in not coming forward to be team leaders in the beginning. But in the first series Tim Campbell and Saira Khan rushed forward when I asked for a leader for the first task. They ended up the winner and runner-up.

So I decided to teach the boys a lesson and right at the eleventh hour, just after I told them what the task was, I switched the team leaders and Andy ran the girls' team and Jadine the boys'.

The look on their faces when I did that! The boys were gutted as they thought they'd stitched up poor old Andy.

It never fails to amaze me that the candidates seem to fall for the same traps every year. You'd think they would have watched every single show in the past two series so they know what to expect.

The mistakes made by Andy's team were a joke - I really started to wonder whether this year's group were any good at all!

Last year Syed bought too many chickens - enough to feed the thousands. Then this year they bought enough milk to supply all the schoolkids in London, let alone Islington!

But that was just the start of the comedy of errors.

The idea behind the mobile coffee van was to allow the team leader to move it around to where business is brisk. Instead, Andy left it in a quiet market place that already has loads of coffee shops.

He broke the golden rule of retailing - position, position, position. How many more times do I have to say it?

Andy tried to lay the blame on Gerri Blackwood for the wrong position, and brainbox Dr Sophie Kain for the buying.

However, I saw through that nonsense. He was the team leader and should have communicated with the team and led them through the task.

What's the lesson, I asked him? You didn't work out how many coffees you might sell, then work backwards on the amount of ingredients you need to buy.

I told him that when his mum invites the whole family around for Christmas, she knows how much food to buy to feed the family. So why couldn't he do the simple thing that many mums do every week, and work out the quantities required?

Don't get me wrong, in his own field, Andy is one of the best car salesmen in Scotland, that's why he got on the show.

However, The Apprentice takes experienced and confident people, who are successful in their field, out of their comfort zone.

Clearly Andy was right out of his and he lost it.

He was a very nice man, proud of his family and his achievements - and he should be very proud that he beat 10,000 applicants to get on the show. But he had to go.

I won't spoil next week's episode but it really is gripping stuff. The teams have to manufacture a product and sell it to the retail trade specialising in pets' toys and accessories.

There's a massive twist in this episode, but you'll have to tune in next week to find out what it is. You simply won't believe what you see...

Find news, video interviews, teasers and highlights of The Apprentice at http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice

THE KNOWLEDGE

SIR ALAN'S TIP OF THE WEEK: Position, position, position. Get it right and you've got a chance of success. Get it wrong - and you've blown it.

SHELLEY-OMETER



Simon

SOLD lots of coffee and pulled off nifty piece of king-making between Andy and Adam.

Jadine

WON the task but needs to be less lippy. David Brent factor:7

Adam

STEPPED up to be manager. Played it cool, looked handsome.

Gerri

MESSED up but survived the firing. Had Andy's measure. Fern Britton with balls.

Naomi

THE sort who thinks "sassy" is a compliment. Effortlessly blamed Gerri. Lovely hair.

Ghazal

"I'M young. I'm dynamic. I'm not here to make friends." Did nothing except pout.

Kristina

"I 'M he re to win The Apprentice." As opposed to what - Wimbledon?

Dr Sophie

MIGHT find the quantum physics work dries up after ordering 200 litres of milk.

Lohit

KEPT his head down so the jury's still out.

Natalie

OUTSPOKEN Essex girl: "I find you a bit scary," she told Jadine. Very diplomatic.

Rory

"I'M bored of learning from experience." Hmmm... David Brent factor: 6

Katie

HORSEY/scary ex-Sandhurst alpha female. Not exactly Sir Alan's type.

Paul

"WHEN you can break bricks with your hands, you can do anything." Brent factor: 9

Tre

CAUGHT plugging own firm. Wider than the M25. Apart from that, very businesslike.

Andy

"I WANT to be a winner. I AM a winner." Except when you're a loser. DB factor: 10 Mirror

Apprentice star is Di's cousin Sun

TWO OF YOU WILL BE FIRED
30/03/2007


WHAT a bunch of muppets those Apprentice "hotshots" are - and Sir Alan clearly agrees because next week he fires two of them.

Yes, for the first time in Apprentice history the business mogul is so unimpressed with the losing group that getting rid of one scapegoat simply isn't enough.

This week, we watched in awe as the Sugar wannabes proved utterly useless at flogging coffee in London's busy Islington.


One group went to a place where there were no passersby and loads of rival cafes. D'oh!

The others concentrated on branding the coffee with a chocolate motif so punters remembered them - even though the task lasted just one day. Double d'oh! But we can reveal that things only get worse in the second instalment...

The task is to design and sell an accessory for doting dog-owners.

"People love their dogs, they'll spend a fortune on gadgets and trinkets. Come up with something for these nutters to buy," Sir Alan barks.

Now we're not going to spoil things by telling you who goes. Or even which group loses.

But we will reveal that you could cut the atmosphere with a knife when Sir Alan fires the first loser, then turns back to the smug remaining pair.

"I told you never to underestimate me," he growls. "And don't try to second guess what I'll do.

I'm telling you now - as unusual as it is - one of you is still going to get fired."

Brilliant!
mirror

Fired up for a life of chips

SACKED Apprentice Andy Jackson has vowed to give up sales — to make a living playing POKER.

Andy, 36, was the first to be told “You’re fired” by Sir Alan Sugar after failing a coffee selling task on last night’s show.

theSUN

The Apprentice- BBC1, Wednesday 04 April 9:00pm - 10:00pm


After last week's introductions, the series gets into its stride with a terrific episode full of fiery rows.

SIR ALAN: WHY TWO HAD TO GO

WHEN I finally got to see Rory in action on The Apprentice this week, I was gobsmacked. It could have been a scene from The Office, with Rory as David Brent.

It was pure comedy. But, believe me, he was being deadly serious when trying to adopt techniques he must have read about in some American business book.

He told the candidates that he didn't want any swearing... immediately after saying: "It really p***es me off!" A classic.

What amazed me even more is that he actually persuaded the plonkers on his team to take off their jackets and ties before a so-called brainstorming session!

Mirror

Keep your feet on the ground, Rory
If you missed last night's edition of The Apprentice and don't want to know who was fired, please look away now. I said look away now. Thank you. Public schoolboy Rory Laing might have been kicked out but he has not lost his entrepreneurial spirit - today he launches a business offering trips across the capital in a massive zeppelin. No, really. Rory bankrupted twice and memorably described by Surallun as a "disaster, absolute disaster", will be offering punters trips across London in the world's "biggest airship", even bigger than the comedy chopper in which Surallun flies in every week. Laing said: "I might have failed in the Apprentice but failure is not in my nature and I'm desperate to get back on track with this new business." Let's hope "staying up in the air" and "avoiding tall London landmarks such as Canary Wharf" is also in his nature. Monkey hopes Rory is not as bossy with his passengers as he was with his fellow contestants. "Right everyone, take off your jackets ..." guardian