Yeah the Apprentice is back tonight!

[ViolentBunny]

Let the nutfest begin!

(Yeah I know i'm early but I just couldn't help it)

Just read elsewhere that Lucinda used to be called Cindy Burger until she changed her name here

lololol at stroppy dollop.

But who are the contenders to win? This time last year you could at least see the potential of Kristina and Simon by this stage, whereas this year there's no-one who shines out yet.

I like Lucinda for her kookiness (and feel for her being surrounded by such a load of beeches).

I can hear myself saying that tomorrow, Aitch!!

i adore fi glover, she is an absolute darling imo.

More Raef next week please. I'm having withdrawal symptoms.

i wonder if she's an MNer, actually? if so...

and you should see what NotAnOtter has to say about Victoria Bloody Derbyshire.

Me too Aitch. I was interviewed by Derbyshire a few years ago whilst she was still in M/c, before she went a-home-wrecking. She's awful.

FG makes me giggle, which is such a gift imo. do you remember VD during the GF thing? she was a moron.

Managed to watch it now. What a shocker. Sorry to see Simon go, but guess he was more of a grafter than a leader.

Sadly missed the 'You're Fired' programme though - would have liked to see that with Simon.

Ice cream sounds fun for next week - yum yum.

aww I felt sorry for Simon, although he probably was out of his depth. Didn't want him to go though, I think Sir Alan should have fired Claire - god she got on my nerves! Every time she spoke (which was often) I wanted to hurl something at the tv!
wanted to just give Simon a hug at the end!

aaawww, he said thank you to Frances !
Lucinda is a drip and the other girls are prize bitches

simon smith

did you see the bit on You're Fired when the photographer bloke said he thought all the girls were a waste of space?!

yes, he was spot on !

Aw - I loved Simon. He was a genuinely nice guy and a bloody hard grafter. I was so hoping it would be Claire who went this week. Can't wait to watch her downfall - I have seen a clip with her crying in the boardroom so hopefully she will get her comeuppance soon. Helene is another prize A bitch and I feel sorry for Lucinda.

Did anyone else think it was out of order of the show to air the candidates taking the mickey out of that womans ears? She has basically been humiliated in front of the nation and has actually paid for the experience too. A bit out of order IMO.

Was it just me or was the girl being photographed by Simon's team non other than 'Faye Lucas' from Grange Hill cica 1985 ?

Agree Notalone. I thought the footage of the back office with Claire and Alex in charge was pretty grim viewing.
OK, so Simon was not Apprentice material. But what a nice man he seemed - took his fate with real dignity, didn't say anything mean about some of the schemers he's left behind, everyone on You're Fired seemed to really like him.
Loved that look Red Jenny gave when she realised the time had come to start stabbing Claire in the back!
I'm in a minority I think - I've always thought Alex was a shallow little weasel. You can have a stellar career and a heart like a pickled walnut, ugh.
There was a real tumbleweed moment when Claire announced she had to be project manager again next week...

oh Alex is not nice

alex was never nice, i never understood why people liked him. he's a snider. and his pink lips... eeeurgh.

Marina - I can't stand Alex either.
Claire's voice is fingernails down the blackboard (and she has fat ankles [grin}). Lucinda is looking more and more nutso as the series progresses - I can see her jumping if she isn't pushed soon. Simon did seem a pleasant enough chap but I worry about his lack of balance as he unfortunately reminded me of a chap who stalked me in my early twenties. Very true though what he said about being an ideal no. 2 - there are not enough of them in life.

did you hear when fi glover called clair a 'stroppy dollop' PMSL

I think there is a quite a lot of man make-up being applied in this series. Raef looks like a colourised silent film matinee idol, although he is sort of growing on me.
Perhaps they have stolen the hapless Lucinda's purse? She looked a bit raw this week.
Agree swedes - people who will go away and wash tonnes of skanky sheets, or build walls, and not be undermining you while they do it, are wonderful people to have on a team. Simon was swimming with sharks really.

I was a bit shocked that Lucinda was soooo technically incompetent. I think Helene was silly/scheming to put her in a job that she obviously couldn't do. However, apparently the man who was explaining how the mugs etc. worked said his children would be able to do it, and I think my 4 year old would have a good stab. Is it possible to do any job these days if you 'don't do' technical things?

I agreed with her about folding the things before ironing though.

Anyway, I want to see her as team leader to see how she does at managing things, but don't know if she will get a fair chance as so many of the the other women are just not nice.

Raef is gorgeous and he has quiet dignity to when the girls were cat-fighting. Alex meanwhile showed his true colours and as for the Clair, she is pure poison - who hasnt worked with an insidious loser like her?