Is it significant that the finalists are women? “It’s great, but the best two contestants are in the final, male or female,” says Badger sharply. “Last year’s female contestants were appalling. They spent their whole time fighting. If we encourage young women to go into business, great, but we’re there on our own terms.”
Indeed, asked to name two icons, instead of Thatcher or Clara Furse, chief executive of the Stock Exchange, Dewberry comes up with Ryan Giggs and Badger David Seaman. They laugh again. But don’t be fooled. There’ll be some serious boardroom blood spilt before one emerges victorious.
The Apprentice, BBC Two, 9pm
Tricks of the trading: behind the scenes of The Apprentice
You’re fired — kind of
When a competitor is “fired” they go through one door, their team-mates through another, supposedly separated for ever. In fact, the door the fired competitor goes through leads nowhere in particular and all the contestants meet again in an anteroom where, according to one fired contestant Sharon McAllister, “they have a coffee and a natter” before the ousted contestant leaves.
No trust
The contestants are accompanied to the loo and have their shoes checked to ensure they’re not concealing money.
Two exits
After leaving the boardroom the fired contestant is seen leaving an anonymous building — not the TV studio this time but the real Sugar HQ in Brentwood, Essex.
The walk of shame
Their “walk of shame” from building to taxi is not filmed after they have been fired. All 14 contestants are filmed walking into the cab on the first day of filming, then each “walk” is added into individual episodes.
Syed in “nice guy after all” shock
Syed Ahmed claims that the producers edited him to look bad. In one key scene, Sir Alan Sugar offered him immunity from being fired the week his team arrived at the boardroom late after completing a task because he was selling fuel cans. Ahmed's team lost because they incurred a financial penalty for finishing late. But Sir Alan was impressed by Ahmed's selling prowess. However, Ahmed refused immunity and put himself forward for firing alongside his team-mates. The entire segment was edited out. The series editor, Dan Adamson, said: “We weren't deliberately making Syed look bad. The scene just didn’t fit.” Ahmed says he’s been given a contract now to sell the fuel cans.
Telling time tales
The contestants have not, as the programme implies, been in the house for 12 weeks, but 7. “It’s high-pressured,” says contestant Tuan Lé. “You make all those decisions which people think are stupid — like Syed ordering 300 chickens — because you’re knackered.”
The truth about Jo
Other contestants claim she and Ahmed put it on for cameras which she denies. “I am loud, annoying and emotional,” she admits. “I’m gutted not to be in the final and I want Michelle to win — she’s cool, calm and collected.”
Secretarial skills
“Jenny”, the receptionist who ushers competitors into the boardroom and only says “Sir Alan will see you now,” is not an assistant of Sir Alan’s but a member of the TV production company. “She’s lovely and often came to the house,” says McAllister.
Margaret and Nick: the secret lunches
Margaret Mountford and Nick Hewer — Sir Alan's “eyes and ears” — were hardly remote observers. During later tasks, they ate with the competitors during lunch breaks which we never saw on screen.
