Interviews The Apprentice: You're Fired

I'm not impressed with any of you.

This is a bloody shambles. You didn't follow the money.

I've got two teams here and they're both rubbish. You're fired.

You're fired. You're fired.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Good evening. Good evening and welcome to You're Fired.

I'm Rhod Gilbert. In this week's task the final five candidates

competing for a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar face their toughest test yet.

Bruising encounters with Lord Sugar's most trusted advisers.

CVs were ripped apart and business plans trashed

and Michaela almost came unstuck

when the 47 espressos she'd had for breakfast all kicked in at once.

LAUGHTER

And James came up with a novel approach to get

rid of the competition.

LAUGHTER

Here to help us make sense of the interview process

and figure out who will be captain of industry in five years'

time and who will be a bowl of fruit, please welcome this week's

panel of Apprentice fans and guests.

Fresh from putting the fear of God into our remaining candidates,

be afraid, be very afraid, it's Mike Soutar.

Be less afraid by TV presenter and broadcaster June Sarpong.

And don't be afraid at all - it's comedian Hugh Dennis.

Welcome to You're Fired.

APPLAUSE

-Mike, you were there.

-I certainly was.

-How do you think it went this week?

It was absolutely vintage, wasn't it?

You had candidates all fighting for their lives.

You had business plans being absolutely torn to shreds.

And then you had, I think, one of the most nail-biting final three

decisions that I think Lord Sugar has ever had to make.

-June?

-I really felt it for the Apprentices this week.

I thought that you guys were so hard. And I think they handled themselves well.

OK. Hugh?

Did you think that some of them, in terms of the stuff that they'd never revealed,

you go, "Have you ever watched The Apprentice?" You go, "Why didn't you just hide that?"

Don't have it on your website.

The first of our three candidates to crumble under the weight

of interrogation was poor Joanna.

Take this as good advice from me. Go and get a job in that industry.

Learn it inside out and then do what you want to do.

But at this moment in time,

Joanna, I have to say to you that you will not be my business partner.

-And, regretfully, you're fired.

-Thank you. Good luck, Joanna.

-Thank you.

-I appreciate it more than you know.

-Don't give up your dream.

If you still have the passion for it, go for it.

All right. Thank you very much.

Please welcome Joanna Jarjue.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

-Feeling good?

-Yeah, good.

So, first up, how are you feeling?

Yeah, good. I mean, I'm really disappointed.

I was there for the 250K, but, I mean,

I'm really proud of how far I've got,

so I'm just grateful to have got that far.

Mike, you interviewed Joanna. She survived.

Yes, she absolutely did.

I mean, Joanna, you really did give as good as you got.

I thought there were some flaws within your business plan.

I think you hadn't done enough research, really,

to back up the claims that you had within there,

so what that meant was that you were left with a great idea in fashion,

-but just not a good enough business plan.

-Yeah.

You did have a great record.

I think it was eight tasks you won and two you lost.

So, June, the strongest record on paper of all...

Did you see Joanna getting fired this week?

Well, it wasn't a case of whether or not I saw Joanna getting fired.

I think, without question, you are a rock star.

I mean, to win eight out of ten is unbelievable.

And I think one of the things that, perhaps,

you should have said was that you are the customer,

so that in itself is why you know

-that there is a need for this sort of brand.

-Yes.

I think, in the interview process, it seemed like they just didn't

let you talk, so there was all that stuff about,

"Where are you getting it from? What wholesaler? Where's the wholesaler?"

-Yeah.

-And I just wanted them to be quiet for a minute

and to actually hear what you were going to say.

So where were you going to source it from?

More of all that in a second. LAUGHTER

Don't you start, don't you start,

-don't you start!

-Where ARE you going to source it from?

More of that in a minute,

-more of the detail in just a moment.

-You've got nothing! Nothing!

Joanna came, she saw, she sat down, she went up in a lift,

went down in a lift, came in again, sat down,

stood up, left, went in, sat down, went down an escalator,

went back up an escalator and then went home in a taxi.

Let's see where it all went wrong.

Joanna, she wants to start a fashion business.

Has she got a shop? Has she got a warehouse?

She has nothing.

I want you to explain to me how you would go about it.

I would call wholesalers and see if they can send me some catalogues

of the kind of things that they actually stock.

Yeah. They won't send you a catalogue

because it just doesn't work that way.

Where are you going to get these products from?

So, that would be ad hoc from wholesalers.

Ad hoc from wholesalers?!

She has zero experience of the industry which she wants to enter.

Have you got a business without the product?

That's an obvious no.

You can't just suddenly wake up

one Monday morning and say,

"You know what, I'm going to start an online fashion business."

That interview with Linda...

-Yeah, I knew what was coming, I...

-Savage!

-I knew what was coming,

and it was actually me that had warned the other candidates

and I was like, "I've seen Linda interview people before,

"and she's like, That's rubbish!"

I've never seen her...

AS A DALEK: "Do you have a business? Do you? Do you?"

It was like a bloody Dalek!

"You have nothing without the product!

"Do you, Joanna?!"

It was literally like that and I said that to the other candidates.

I was like, "She will literally make you forget your hopes and dreams,"

because you walk out of there, thinking "Well, actually,

"no, I don't have a business, no actually, I don't have a product."

But Lord Sugar made me remember again in the boardroom.

Yeah, he said, "Don't forget your hopes and dreams.

HIGHPITCHED: "Don't forget your hopes and dreams, Joanna."

"I won't, Lord Sugar!"

It went all Christmassy.

Lord Sugar told Joanna to go off

and get a job in the fashion industry

and then sort of build from there.

Yeah, I think he give her great advice

and I think, for anybody who has a fashion business

that is watching right now, you are someone to hire.

Mike, you've got a few bob, I think you should hire her.

-Yes, Mike!

-We can have a chat after.

What a great end to the show that would be!

You could do the hired thing. You're hired. Brilliant.

Unfortunately, Joanna, Lord Sugar won't be investing in you,

but he does have this advice for your future.

Now, Joanna is very impressive.

As the youngest candidate in this process,

she's very strong-willed, she is very driven.

Now, the problem is that she wants

to move into the fashion industry.

While she's interested in it,

she has no experience of it.

I mean, if she wants to do it,

she needs to go off and get a job somewhere in the industry

and, once she has learned that,

then she can apply it to her own business

and I'm sure that if she is that determined,

she will go on and be very successful.

-Good advice?

-Yes, definitely good advice,

but my passion is still workwear, so, Mike...

-Do you want me to model?

-Yes!

Can I ask you one quick question?

So, this workwear, where are you sourcing it from?

Em...!

Lord Sugar made his decision.

Does our panel feel it was the right one? Mike?

Joanna, you so earned your place in the final five,

but unfortunately, at the end of the day, you didn't have a business plan

that was ultimately investable, so, reluctantly, I have to agree.

-OK.

-June?

I agree with Mike.

You didn't have the business plan and I really think you should

go and work for somebody first and then do your business.

Like, for example, Lord Sugar.

Yes!

Let's try to find out what our audience thinks.

If you agree with Lord Sugar, hold up "fired" now.

If you disagree, hold up "hired", please.

Joanna, it is red, I'm afraid.

It is. The audience agrees.

However, thanks for coming on the show.

-Thank you.

-You've been a great sport.

I'm glad you enjoyed the process. We've enjoyed having you here.

Let's have a look at your highlights.

Like me, little but feisty.

I would love to be project manager.

Joanna is very serious, really driven,

really, really, really mature for her age.

£25, will that be OK?

-That's great, yeah.

-OK, brilliant.

Hello, would you like any candyfloss?

Good luck, everybody.

This first dish that we've got

doesn't necessarily have pea in it.

As I've got to know Joanna, she's just such a fun girl.

She is really spirited and smiley.

Oh!

Rugelach!

Oh-ho-ho-ho!

-BOTH:

-Ohh!

-Tears of joy?

-Yeah.

It's absolutely incredible.

Is there such a thing as a tree with fur?

-Aw!

-How does it feel, watching that back?

Really nice, really, really nice.

It's showing me how much of a journey that I've been on,

so, yeah, I just loved it.

Now, a lot of people laughed when you asked

-if there were such a thing as...

-A fur tree.

-..a fur tree.

Well, look that way and I shall get your gift.

I looked into it and, I tell you what,

those people will be laughing on the other side of their faces.

People will be laughing on the other side of their face.

I had no idea. There is such a thing as a tree with fur.

There is such a thing as a tree with fur!

That is Joanna's fur tree. That is there for you to keep.

Honestly, I was one of the laughers.

I am laughing on the other side of my face.

-Ladies and gentlemen, Joanna Jarjue!

-Thank you!

Well, hot on Joanna's heels,

the second candidate to wilt under the intense pressure

of the interview panel was our very own sunflower, florist Elizabeth.

The backbone of the economy of this country

is made up of people like you, but you know I'm interested

in big business and, at this stage, I can't see the scaling up,

so it is with regret, you're fired.

Thank you, all, it's been my honour and my pleasure.

-Best of luck.

-The very best of luck to you.

Thank you.

Please welcome Elizabeth McKenna.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Grab a seat.

11 long weeks in the process.

Did it end as you anticipated it would end?

It was beyond my wildest dreams to have got to the final five

and I'm so pleased to have got that far.

Aw, you seem really emotional.

-I am!

-Yeah, you are.

-I really, really am, yes.

-Lord Sugar fired you, of course.

-He did.

But in the same instant he said he really liked you as a person.

Did that take the edge off it?

No.

LAUGHTER

June, Elizabeth has been enormously popular.

-Were you sad to see her go?

-I was.

I've got to say, you really do give as good as you get, don't you?

I mean, the whole argy-bargy with Linda, I was loving it.

I'd pay good money to watch that again!

Well, for 11 weeks, florist Elizabeth has kept us entertained

and woven herself inextricably into our hearts and minds,

like a Japanese knotweed.

But this week Lord Sugar decided her time was up,

so let's see where it all went wrong.

Elizabeth runs three small florists.

Her business plan is to expand into

a nationwide delivery service.

You need to send flowers to somebody,

I send them for you nationally.

So, that's what Lord Sugar has got to...

It is a very simple idea.

I think it is a bit too simple, actually.

You are describing an online florist.

You're doing nothing different,

so far as I can see.

You are absolutely impossible

-to work with.

-Right.

It's been a trauma to actually watch you

throughout every single task, just taking over.

She's probably brilliant working on her own,

but in partnership, I would have some question marks.

She might try and fire me!

My concern is there are so many other people

in the flower business,

there doesn't seem to be any USP there.

Let's start with the USP bit.

Do you sort of take what they are saying there?

Absolutely, taken on board.

I went back to my shop and I've come up with a unique USP,

which I think is very different

from what is currently on offer in the market.

Ooh, are you allowed to tell us?

It's the way that we design things and the deliverability of them.

People can actually see the size and what they are getting.

OK, so, you reckon you have got the USP thing dealt with.

I hope I have, yes.

But if Mike would like to look at it again, I'd be really pleased.

Pass it across, he's not busy!

Linda and Claude were tough, Mike, but I thought you

were below the belt when you started reading Elizabeth's online reviews.

I mean, Hugh, as a comedian, Hugh, there is nothing in the world

worse than having to read your own online reviews,

never mind have them read to you by somebody like Mike!

Well, through a tannoy system at Waterloo station or something,

-but no, awful.

-Did you enjoy it?

The whole process, how much have you enjoyed it?

I very much enjoyed it from start to finish.

I've had the biggest of highs and the biggest of lows,

it's been great, it's been epic. Epic!

It's fair to say you've been a standout character.

I don't think there would be anybody at home,

going, "Which one is Elizabeth again?"

I'm a bit difficult to miss, put it that way.

Elizabeth, so close, yet so far. No investment from Lord Sugar,

but he does have this advice for your future.

Elizabeth, well, what a great character, what a great person.

Stark raving bonkers,

but then again, that's what you get in life

and what she showed was her passion

that she wanted all the tasks to go right

and sometimes she kind of drowned everybody out

and didn't allow people to do anything else.

She just needs to be a little less bossy, more collaborative,

and I'm sure she will go on and be very successful.

What is your take on that?

Maybe it seemed I was taking things over a little bit,

but maybe that's because I was coming up with ideas

and people said, "Go with it."

If you let me take the lead, I will,

but if you can give me something to do, give me a job and I'll do it.

That's what I'm about. Give me a job and I will get it done.

So, you said you are pushing ahead with this business plan?

Yes, I've been in my business for ten years

and I intend to continue on with it.

Our online range is there and it is active

and we are working with businesses, we are working with private clients

and we are doing really well.

I'm looking forward to the future, it's really exciting.

-Great. Good luck with it.

-Thank you.

Lord Sugar made his decision, of course,

but does our panel feel it was the right one?

Now then, Mike?

Elizabeth, I think you have been such a strong candidate

and such a strong character

and I love the fact that you spoke your mind the entire time.

I think you were right to get to this stage,

but I think it was right to jettison you at this point.

I think you would have probably given Lord Sugar an ulcer

if he had become your business partner,

-so I'm agreeing with him on this one.

-June?

Yeah, well, I disagree with Claude.

I do not think you were a trauma to watch,

-I think you are an absolute joy to watch.

-Thank you.

But I agree with Mike and I agree with Lord Sugar.

I don't see how you scale this business to the heights

that Lord Sugar needed to invest.

-Thank you.

-Hugh?

I think that there is sort of unfair criticism, you know,

"It's just an online florist,"

and the criticism about, "You'd think you'd set up a website."

Well, that is coming from Lord Sugar

who, when he wants the candidates in the mornings,

he phones one of them on a home phone.

He hasn't even set up a WhatsApp group!

LAUGHTER

I think you were fantastic to watch, but I do think, actually,

at that stage, that was probably right.

Time to find out what our audience thinks.

If you agree with Lord Sugar hold up "fired",

if you disagree, hold up "hired" now, please.

That looks very close to me. What do you think, Elizabeth?

Well, I'll leave it to you because you're the judge,

-but I know what I'm...

-In that case, it's fired.

LAUGHTER

I mean, if you've learned nothing,

don't leave anything to anybody else, Elizabeth!

It is fired, I'm afraid, I'm afraid.

But as you know, no-one leaves You're Fired empty-handed.

Lord Sugar has referred to The Elizabeth Show

many times during this process,

so we have got you a fabulous DVD box set of The Elizabeth Show.

Wacky fun for all the family.

Follow Elizabeth as she bosses her way from one task to another

in her own hilarious new sitcom.

Starring Elizabeth, directed by Elizabeth,

commentary by Elizabeth, DVD extras - more Elizabeth.

Yeah.

-That is yours to take home and keep.

-Thank you.

Elizabeth, thanks for coming on, we've enjoyed having you.

Let's have a look at your highlights.

To infinity and beyond!

My God, what a rollercoaster!

I guess it's something to do with being a florist.

Are they usually this crazy?

Yes!

-Because, I mean, I've never...

-LAUGHTER DROWNS SPEECH

It's no wonder I'm blinking barking mad!

Bash this enough, we won't have to remix.

She is just fantastic and she's really pragmatic

and focused and a real asset to a team.

-Doom-doo-doo! Deal! Thanks.

-Thanks very much.

Oh, my good God!

She's either really, really serious...

People can play with it, you can pick it up, you can put it down.

Or she is...just...Elizabeth!

Get out of the way, get out of the way!

Yes!

We absolutely bossed it!

Ladies and gentlemen, Elizabeth McKenna!

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Well, with Joanna and Elizabeth gone,

there were just three candidates left

and, after a tough final fight,

it was Michaela who bolted off to Bolton.

Michaela, this business has got to be 100% with me.

I don't want you being defocused somewhere else.

So, whether I'm right or wrong...

..Michaela, you're fired.

No worries, thanks very much.

-You are very, very welcome.

-It's been emotional.

-I wish you the best of luck.

-Thank you.

When we're building our next site,

I will come onto this website of yours, OK?

Four grand, though, no mates' rates!

LAUGHTER

Please welcome Michaela Wain.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Michaela, Michaela, no-nonsense, straight-talking Michaela.

In your usual direct manner, how are you feeling?

Em... Yeah, I'm buzzing, actually.

I was obviously a little bit gutted that I got fired,

I sort of think it was unjust,

but, yeah, yeah, no, I'm pleased that I came third.

Lord Sugar said he would come to you when he is building his next site.

-You said no mates' rates.

-Yeah, I stand by it.

I might even charge a premium because he fired me.

Was the main reason Michaela got fired, Mike,

seemed to be that she was already

working 23 hours and 59 minutes a day on 400 other businesses?

Is that what it came down to?

I think it was certainly an element.

You left a doubt, I think,

in Lord Sugar's mind about whether your full focus

could the on the new business, but I think, as well,

what you underestimated was the scale of competition

you would enter with your website that does tendering.

The competitors there have hundreds of researchers

working on the business and the idea that you could go in and compete

with just ten left you looking a little bit under-resourced.

I do disagree with that point, though, just saying.

Because if everybody thought the way that you lot see things,

of, "Oh, these businesses are so large,"

then nobody would go on to start a new company

if you were worried about your competition.

I think you're right, but your proposition

has to be really clearly different.

What you weren't able to do in the interview process

-was convince us otherwise.

-Yeah, yeah, no, I appreciate your opinion.

I'm loving this business tennis!

-I appreciate your thinking, but I think you are wrong.

-30-30!

Hugh, Michaela has obviously been a very, very popular candidate.

Would you have liked to have seen her in the final?

I really, really would.

-Aw, thank you, Hugh!

-Yeah, but again,

the weakness, which is that you've got these other 600 businesses,

would you be able to focus?

I would've thought the thing to do is to go,

"Yeah, I will employ you and I want the rights to every business

"you come up with in the next two years."

-Actually thinking of new things, that's the difficult bit.

-Always.

And then making them successful,

which is what I do all the time, Mike.

LAUGHTER AND APPLAUSE

Come on, it's panto season!

Well, Michaela has worn her heart very visibly on her sleeve

and her glasses very visibly on her face.

This week she was very visibly worn down

and then left the process for good.

Let's see where it all went wrong.

-Michaela.

-The main problem is, she will be 100% with you

and then something will happen with one of her other businesses

and I think that is a real risk.

How many companies have you run or co-owned?

-I don't know.

-I've got the details here of them.

There is a holdings company.

These are my companies now, yeah?

Are you a serial entrepreneur,

or are you just bored easily?

I don't know what a serial entrepreneur is.

There is a utilities business.

There's a plumbing and heating business.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

She said she really lacks confidence.

She couldn't look me in the eye.

I didn't know whether to hug her or shake her.

Doesn't that look like somebody

who is going to be massively overstretched?

I'm looking for a business partner that's going to be

100% concentrating on the business that we are going to be in.

Did you expect the interviews to be as sort of invasive, you know,

to dig as deep in your background and into your life as they did?

Yeah, it could have got a lot worse, to be fair,

if they would have dug a tad deeper.

He didn't dig deep enough!

I missed something!

Yeah, you missed a few, actually.

No stone unturned. You've left stones unturned, Mike!

Looking back at the process, how has it been?

Have you enjoyed it?

Oh, honestly, it's been the best experience of my life.

-Has it?

-Oh, it's changed my life as well,

because I used to be a nervous wreck,

I didn't like driving to Manchester,

which is like ten miles away.

I was just always having panic attacks, and I've not had one

-since I've been in the process, so...

-Wow!

-It has changed my life.

-That's amazing.

I might apply again next year, try again.

Unfortunately, as you know, Lord Sugar won't be investing in you,

but he does have this advice for your future.

Michaela has businesses already and, therefore,

one could class her as very entrepreneurial.

But as I've always made very clear, it's a prerequisite on this process

that the winner will focus themselves

100% on the new business.

She lacks a bit of confidence sometimes.

If she can get her confidence boosting a little bit more,

she can go on and be a real big-time entrepreneur.

Big-time entrepreneur.

Big-time!

-Is that going to be you?

-Yeah, definitely, 100%.

I'll be competing with you soon, Mike.

Bring it on!

Focus on scaling the business up. Is that what you are doing?

Yeah, yeah, just sorting out my other businesses and whatnot

and then, yeah, I'll just invest in myself.

Lord Sugar has made his decision.

Does our panel feel it was the right one? Mike?

You have shown so much incredible entrepreneurial spirit

but I think you will do brilliantly even though you're out,

so I am going to agree with Lord Sugar

-and bid you farewell at this point.

-No worries.

-June?

I definitely disagree with the decision.

I think you should have been in the final.

In fact, I think you should have won.

But what I'm excited for you is, I think, five years from now,

you are going to be a name to watch, I think you are going to be

in a lot of female entrepreneur lists

and I'm excited to see it happen.

-Thanks, June, I love that!

-Yeah, good luck.

Beat that, Hugh! LAUGHTER

Yeah! No, I think you should have been in the final,

but I think, in the end, you'll be pleased that you weren't,

actually, because I think you will do far better this way

than you would have done if you had been in the final,

but I think you should have been in the final.

-Aw, thank you.

-It's time to find out what our audience thinks.

If you agree with Lord Sugar, hold up "fired".

If you disagree, hold up "hired" now, please.

It is overwhelmingly green, I have to say, Michaela.

Now, we know you are very, very busy, so we thought we would get you

-something to help you prepare for work every morning.

-All right.

-You face that way because I'm going over there to get it.

-Right, OK.

Right, this will help you every morning when you are getting ready.

We have got a revolving lanyard carousel.

There you go.

Set that going.

When you are getting ready every morning...

Plumbing and heating business, Michaela, CEO.

Utilities business, CEO.

The Apprentice, Lord Sugar's business partner.

That shouldn't be on there, that's a mistake, I do apologise.

AUDIENCE GROANS

You're clearly far too busy for that one.

Only because she's too busy. She's too busy, look!

Michaela, that is yours to keep.

Michaela, you've been a great sport,

we have loved watching you every week.

Let's have a look at your highlights.

In business, I'm like a bulldog.

If you mess with me, I do have lockjaw.

Just get through it, don't be sick.

Going to get hot today!

I love Michaela to bits. She is an absolute hoot.

She is talented, she is an incredible businesswoman.

CHEERING

The car name is Miami.

Absolutely bouncing.

How did you measure that wrong?!

-I measured it, that's how I measured it.

-Wrong.

I absolutely adore Michaela, she's just fun,

she's just really real, genuine.

Don't pump it in, though,

we'll not get it back out. Ugh!

-Well...

-She's a bell-end!

Basically, she's the life of the party, Michaela.

Yeah!

Ladies and gentlemen, Michaela Wain.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

And also please thank tonight's guests -

Mike Soutar, June Sarpong and Hugh Dennis.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

There are only two candidates left standing

after this week's gruelling interview stage

and they are about to find out who is going to get

a life-changing investment from Lord Sugar

and who will be going home in a black cab.

You are going to have to present your business ideas

to an audience of over 200 experts in City Hall.

Good luck.

That's not a good start.

Why does he have to be a lobster?

I think that's enough of you dressed up like that.

It's not a good start.

It was a case of not sleeping all night,

worrying about how bad it was.

Do it properly, stop being a bell-end!

I'll shut the door. All right.

Whoo-oop!

Oh, my God!

Then, look at that, you've got "tit", I just spelled.

One of you will be hired as my business partner.

I'm going to say...

And if you think you have what it takes

to be Lord Sugar's business partner,

applications are still open to take part in next year's series.

Head over to...

..for more details.

Join me for the final of The Apprentice 2017

on Sunday, 17th December, 9pm on BBC One. Good night.