The Apprentice: series five, week six

Posted by Jane Murphy

Ever the astute businessman, Sir Alan decided to kill two birds with one stone in this week's challenge. Having cleared out his garage over the weekend, the gnome-faced gazillionaire handed the hapless hopefuls two sets of old tat and gave them just one day to sell it for the highest possible price.

Interchangeable irritants Philip and Ben were appointed team leaders - which at least afforded Ben the ideal opportunity to trot out his old "I won a place at Sandhurst" anecdote again.

"Under those situations where I am under extreme pressure - heavy gunfire, explosions going off around me, people getting injured - that's when I can bring a team together," he bragged, before giving his first order from the frontline. "Get the Yellow Pages out and phone a couple of fishmongers to find out the price for jellied eels," he barked.

Meanwhile, Philip and Lorraine agreed to bury the hatchet after last week's boardroom showdown. Amazingly, the truce lasted a full five minutes before Philip whined: "Heed some of my advice because you're ignoring what I'm saying." Lorraine's crime? Pointing out that a rug could be worth a lot of money - a hunch that later proved to be true, but only after they'd flogged it to a fella in the street for £50.

Still, the pair pulled together to come up with an inspired sales tactic, which will doubtless have left many in the business world open-mouthed with awe. That technique in full? Standing in the middle of a crowded pub and bellowing, "Does anybody want to buy a skeleton?" Amazingly, someone did want to buy it (that's beer goggles for you) - and it was partly this little bit of luck that helped Philip's team win the task with a net loss of £34. Woo-hoo!

Having led his team to a not-so-triumphant overall loss of £169, Ben decided to take nice guy Noorul and Harry H Corbett lookalike James back into the boardroom with him - but then changed his mind and swapped James for Debra instead.

In the final showdown, Debra turned bolshy and got told off by Sir Alan ("Trust me, love - you're not something special"). Then, displaying the kind of Great British backbone that surely won him that place at Sandhurst, Ben became a quivering, jibbering wreck as he begged to be given another chance.

As all around him descended into white noise, Sir Alan finally adopted his "firing face" and sent Noorul packing - presumably for being the least entertaining of the three. So Debra and Ben survive to irritate the hell out of us for at least another week. But surely neither of them can win? Can they?

Picture: BBC

SEE ALSO:
We chat to fired candidate Noorul >>
Watch clips from last night's The Apprentice >>
Have your say: Ad complaints: a lot of hot air?? >>

Comments

[zebedee]

this program sucks have never seen such a collection of
thickos or posers

[gill]

Sir Alan should have sacked all three of them - Ben chose to keep 7 of the items obviously hoping to "shine" himself and is no way a team player and arrogant with it. Debra is bitchy and spiteful and would upset anyone she worked with. Hope Ben and Debra leave soon, I don't find them entertaining, just extremely irritating.

[steve r]

I guess that Ben was not initially going to take Debra back in, as he know that she would destroy him in seconds. You could see the fear in his eyes.

[suzie]

yes he should be fired, Noorul was a wet fish. wouldn't want my children to be tought by him. thought it was funny when he claimed Ben was rude and arrogant for not letting him speak hello look back at the clips Noorul you were no better. Bet he'll get a hard time when he goes back to school.

[Peter Harris]

I think Sir Alan should be fired and Noorul put in his place. That would wipe the smile off Ben's face!

[shah]

Kate to win. She has a bit of something about her. The rest of them are selfish egotistical back- stabbing and for the most part relentlessly stupid.

[leighton rees]

the tall girl was a bully, im glad the boss told her to shut her big mouth.

[Russell]

They all need professional help.......

[cathy hayes]

Noorul was too nice a bloke to compete against the sharks.

[Sluza]

The thing is, that I have heard that 3 of them worked with Sir Alan for 3 months prior to the start of filming, so is it fixed, will Debra, Phil and Jasmina be there at the end.

Its good to see that intellect and stupidity are easily confused when getting ready in front of a mirror!!!!!!

[Eddie McDougall]

I have been in sales for 12 years and would never have any of these people work under me.
It is very true that sales are all about closing and they show poor qualities in that department.

[The Real Bogus Anon]

I've rarely seen such a bunch of unpleasant talentless individuals. Kate to win. She has a bit of something about her. The rest of them are selfish egotistical back- stabbing and for the most part relentlessly stupid.