Another week passes - and another episode of “the Apprentice.” This week saw them in Birmingham at the national wedding show. Lucinda and Helene to manage. I don’t remember Helene managing before, but I was impressed by Lucinda the last time she managed (even though the team lost then, she was by far the better project manager); yeah, to be honest I have a soft spot for her - as do (I think) the camera crew and producers of the show - the number of shots they get of her compared to the other candidates…
9:00 BBC1: The Apprentice - this week it’s weddings ?
9:06
BBC1: TA - 2 stands @ national wedding show in b’ham. team who sells the most stuff will win.
9:07 BBC1: TA - Sir Alan - it is very important
that they select the right product - Helene will manage 1 team, Lucinda
the other
9:08
BBC1: TA - I liked Lucinda last time she managed, let’s see how she does this time - although - Claire is on the team
9:10 BBC1: TA - Sara and Michael are buying for
Helene’s team… M: it’s an aquired taste (the dresses); Helene looks elsewhere-coloured dresses
Michael was praising the designer to his face… although in the car, on the way back, he was much less complimentary. There is something about him that I don’t particularly like, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. He’s a little too child-like I think in the way he is, and maybe a bit too two-faced? Not sure. Sara I like, although I’m not sure she’s had a lot of “camera time” so can’t really say I’ve seen her shine or otherwise. Something that could also be said of some of those who’ve become favourites since getting more attention in recent shows (Lee being an example)
9:11 BBC1: TA - Lucinda - only Claire and Raef
are visiting the dress makers | Claire - I was happy when L. sent me to
look at dresses…
Claire was very happy; there was some sort of chemistry between Raef (one of these days I’ll consistently spell his name right!) and herself. I think it was a good decision of Lucinda’s to send them off on their own little task - I know that often Claire will rub the project manager up the wrong way; I think she likes to have more control over her work than some of the tasks afford her sometimes…
It was an interesting side to see of her - more fun-loving and less serious; you can see how (as a person) she could be very likable.
9:12 BBC1: TA - Lucinda is looking for other
wedding things - cakes (£600 a shot - is that expensive? L doesn’t know
(neither do I))
(It was later shown that £600 is quite expensive - relatively speaking)
9:13 BBC1: TA - Claire and Raef - looking at
“larger dresses 16-32″ - C: Is it a bad Idea - R - “people who are size
32 like cakes” :)
This made me laugh. The quote was more like
Claire : I’m worried that we have cakes and “larger dresses - 16 to 32″; it it a bad idea?
Raef : What you need to remember is that they’re that size for a reason; they like cake!
Something like that anyway.
9:14 BBC1: TA - lingerie and beachwear next on the list for Helene and Alex…
9:14 BBC1: TA - Helene :Smaller items£30-we’ll take orders then and there -
that’s how we’ll win.H: I can’t see people buying cake @ wedding show
How ironic.
9:16 BBC1: TA - Lucinda : underwear - rather than cakes (both teams want the same thing!)
9:21 BBC1: TA - H - M: 1st choice the designer (H: I want the designer to be there) ; so they go for the coloured dresses
Oooh so Michael did say he’d prefer the designer dresses; I can see Helene’s point that she’d want to have the designer there … although … I can’t really see someone going “yes, I designed that dress, isn’t it lovely?” as a benefit to the stand. The people who were going would know the designer and be seeking out his dresses specifically anyway. Maybe this was a misconception on their part of what the show was about?
The “coloured” dresses though… they weren’t really my cup of tea for the most part…
9:22 BBC1: TA - both teams get their dresses; but both want the lingerie - Lucinda’s team get’s it though
Lucinda’s team - I think partly (largely?) because they had gone for the famous, award-winning designer dresses to go on their stand won the contract for the lingerie and beachwear…
I was a bit surprised at the lack of choice here. There seemed to be only 3 dress designers (BHS, the “coloured dresses” and the named designer) and 2 accessories - either lingerie or cake. I wonder if there was more and edited, or whether it was planned to give one team a harder job…
By means of comparison - now that I know - the cakes were expensive; Helene’s team’s dresses were often a similar price or cheaper than the cakes! In my mind, dress or cake? dress or cake? It would have to be the dress methinks!
9:23 BBC1: TA - H: they are selling cake - but Sara notices - there is a cake stand right next to their stand!
9:24 BBC1: TA - Lucinda’s stand - people are
queuing for the dresses; on Helene’s Alex is in charge of selling the
coloured dresses…
9:25 BBC1: TA - Lee is selling Lucinda’s honeymoon lingerie and beachwear - it’s a good quick sale - but he’s worried
9:26 BBC1: TA - Raef - the designer (Ian Stuart?) dresses - they are high risk… but high turn over…. (they’re a lot of money)
9:27 BBC1: TA - Nick: Raef was insistent on these high end dresses - but we’re not in Knightsbridge, we’re in B’ham…
One of the things that was worrying for Lucinda’s team was the fact that, while people were queuing out the door to try the dresses on, no-one was buying them. At a few thousand pounds each, you could see why… Nick, Sir Alan’s aide, made the comment that Raef was insisting on the dresses, but this isn’t high-class London; this isn’t Knightsbridge… it’s Birmingham (I’m sure there was some disparaging survey carried out recently that said brummies had the dumbest (in an intellectual sense) sounding accent)
9:27 BBC1:TA - I hope that Raef isn’t for the
chop…I can see his dresses being a problem…if they don’t sell…
(also hope Lucinda doesn’t go)
9:29 BBC1: TA - Lee has shifted over £300 of
the underwear-for Helene they’re selling lots of the dresses (the cakes
though…Sara too hard sell)
9:31 BBC1: TA -Time is running out..but the
designer dresses aren’t selling -Raef was questioning his judgement -
L.switches Lee to sell dresses
9:32 BBC1: TA - laughs - now Raef is dressed up
as the lingerie company’s mascot - a bear!!! :) how out of character
(but still no sales)
9:33 BBC1: TA - 2 hours to go; Lee is worried -
the dresses aren’t selling… Helene’s team - Michael is worried about
the cakes…
9:34 BBC1: TA - Michael - these people are “dumb dumbs. they don’t know what they’re doing…”
Michael of the opinion that the customer is “not only wrong” but “stupid too”
9:35 BBC1: TA - Customers from earlier in the day now come back to Lucinda’s stand…
9:35 BBC1: TA - Claire - people were coming to
the NEC and making a day of it; it wasn’t like going the supermarket
for chicken (kosher ? :D )
This reminded me; my sister has been to various of these sorts of things; wedding shows, the “clothes show live” etc. And it is very much a case of “making a day of it”. In the early part of the day, you’d wander around - maybe buy little cheap things - then you come back end of the day to make your purchases.
9:37
BBC1: TA - 6pm - end of the day… dresses and lingerie sold by Lucinda’s team, but only dresses by Helene’s - no cake
9:38
BBC1: TA - I think I liked Lucinda’s style again, Helene - not sure - Lucinda’s team say “very good”
9:40 BBC1: TA - Helene ; M: It was a
fundamental error not having one person see all the dresses… (H: I
have no regret about dress choice)
The choice of the designer dresses (Lucinda’s team) was raised; Raef piped up and took full responsibility if the decision meant that the team had lost… however…
9:41
BBC1: TA -Lucinda’s £5752 (£600 on underwear) - Helene’s - £1925 ; Nick - Claire worked like a trouper, Lucinda led well
9:42 BBC1: TA - have to say Lucinda’s team
contains all of my favourites; Lee, Raef, Claire and Lucinda;only like
Sara, maybe Alex on other team
9:43
BBC1: TA - I think Sara or Helene is for the chop. (Sir Alan congratulated Lucinda’s team on their gamble - it paid off)
9:44 BBC1: TA - M: only person to blame for
failing the task is Helene; Sara also says “Helene is the one who
didn’t do anything”…
9:44
BBC1: TA - Helene - it’s interesting when they fail how everyone turns on each other…
9:45 BBC1: TA - Michael was claiming he was
recommending the winning dresses; Margaret quotes him - wasn’t quite
the recommendation…
9:46 BBC1: TA - Alex - a 6 time veteran …
unlucky? bad penny? (Helene says “he did a really, really good job” (he
made over 3/4 the cash)
I’d forgotten about Alex. He’s not always in the frame - but a lot of the time, not too bad a bloke. 6 times in the boardroom though… unlucky? Let’s see next week!
9:48 BBC1: TA - Sara and Michael wanted to go
for the cakes; but was a mistake to chose - not a decision to be made
by one person…
9:49 BBC1: TA - Helene - Alex doesn’t deserve
to be fired - he performed well on both days. Sara, Michael and Helene
are back in the boardroom
9:50 BBC1: TA - Actually, I do like Alex to -
forgot he was there. SA - I can see 2 of them going M: there are
reasons for all 3 of them to go!
9:51 BBC1: TA - H: No-one advocated anything
strongly. M. I’m starting to get hysterical - lost on poor product
selection (he wanted the cakes)
9:53 BBC1: TA - M: I’ve been doubting my sales
ability; but no-one was interested in buying… S: demonstrating the
“soft sell”…
9:54 BBC1: TA - SA: if I’d gotten your sales
pitch I’d've pushed your (Sara) face into the cake!! M: is blaming
Helene. H: Sara. S: Helene
9:54 BBC1: TA -Helene - it wasn’t a team. SA.
This task was lost on the first day - H - your fault as you didn’t recognize the audience
9:55 BBC1: TA - SA - Sara - you’ve alienated
customers, people say you don’t do anything. Michael - I’ve a list as
long as my arm.
9:55
BBC1: TA - SA: One thing I do know right now - is that Sara - you’re fired.
9:56
BBC1: TA - Michael - can I have one more chance, I won’t let you down… SA: Get back to the house the pair of you
9:57
BBC1: TA - It looked like he was about to fire Michael too “talk about a cat with 9 lives!”
9:58
BBC1: TA - The team are shocked to see Michael coming back : Claire (to M) “I don’t want you going home” (romance?)
9:59 BBC1: TA - goodness me! next week,
launching tissues with a tv advert (and in the preview we get Lucinda
swearing! Goodness me! )
10:00 BBC1: TA - I’m wondering about next week’s
show. I wonder if it sees Lucinda getting the chop… what will the
camera crew do without her?
10:02
BBC2: TAYF - They always seem to brush up well on the “You’re fired” show … Sara was a bit shocked to be fired
10:09
BBC2: TAYF - the mistake - splitting the team (forgot - it was Michael’s how to split the team)
10:10 BBC2: TAYF - just been pointed out that
Michael changed his tune at the end of the day “an intelligent person
would have ….”
10:10
BBC2: TAYF - (ah - I missed it before - Sir Alan said “I was going to fire him” (Michael) )
10:16
BBC2: TAYF - Sara - the problem was my defense in the boardroom…. (the panel say the same)
10:17
BBC2: TAYF - Clip of Helene - basically saying “I don’t like these people, I would fire them, but I have to work with them”
10:28
BBC2: TAYF - the “you’re fired” audience think Sara should have been hired…
An interesting episode… It’s always good seeing Lucinda shine, it’s a shame that Sara had to go; the question of bullying came up in the “You’re fired!” show - but I forget what happened - although there was a “thank goodness Raef was there” and an embarrassing clip of Sara in her application video claiming she could make anything sell like “hot cakes” :) if only the cakes were hot! :)
It was fun watching Lee sell underwear - although his cunning plan of “guessing the size the women would want, then saying something a size lower” … I’m not sure that’s so original - haven’t market sellers been charming the customers in similar ways for donkey’s years?
A comment was made by Adrian in the “fired” show - that he thought Lee had sold Margaret a thong (you could tell by her expression :) )
Wondering about next week - you could see the teams were shuffled up a bit - and Lucinda looked to be in some sort of situation (echoes of the early weeks when she was put in charge of something technical despite telling everyone “I can’t use technology” - I hope she’s not on the losing team (please don’t say she’s on Michael’s team! That’s like kiss-of-death! Wonder if people are starting to play tactics?)
Still think Raef could win; would like to see him win at least.
