Young Apprentice 2011: Gbemi Okunola latest to be fired by Lord Sugar

 Gbemi Okunola has become the latest Young Apprentice 2011 candidate to be fired by Lord Sugar after a task which saw the teenagers design and brand their own range of deodorant. The remaining youngsters had to film a TV ad for the product, before pitching it to industry expects.

Team Atomic – led by Zara – were announced as the winners with their male skewed deodorant RAW while Kinetic – led by Harry M – were criticised for the design and selling point flaws in their female targeted product Vanity.

With his team challenging his performance PM Harry M fumed: “This is all getting a bit pathetic and a bit erratic. I’m not going to stoop to that level. I’m going to keep my integrity in tact so just save it!”

And defending himself in the boardroom, Harry pinned the arguments in the group on James: “This team were quite a hard team to manage but they gelled together under my leadership… James you tried to cause trouble every step of the way.”

Harry M decided to bring back Gbemi for her poor product design and James for his disruptions but back in the boardroom the onslaught against the PM continued.

Gbemi blasted: “You didn’t listen to anyone else in the team! It is not all about you Harry M it is about the people in the team as well.”

But Lord Sugar’s mind was clearly made up as he delivered his final verdict: “Harry this is the fifth time you have been in the losing team, there’s got to be a reason.

“James you came into this process like a bull in a china shop but you have improved.
“Gbemi, you’re a designer and it is in my opinion the main culprit in the failure of this task. Because of that serious design error, Gbemi – You’re Fired!”

As she was driven away Gbemi said: “This definitely isn’t going to put me off the designing that I do. With every mistake I make I learn to make it 100 times better.”

Young Apprentice 2011: Lewis Roman is the 4th person to get fired

Young Apprentice: Lewis Roman found himself battling in the boardroom. Photo: BBC

Following forays into the floristry business and the baby market you’d think that Lord Sugar would have given his teenage hopefuls a break this week, but he continued to challenge his remaining contestants with another task outside their comfort zone: to sell products to the over-50s.

In a rather tongue-in-cheek move, Sugar invited the nine candidates to meet him at the Natural History Museum – home to all things old and wrinkly.

“Do you think that Lord Sugar lives in the Natural History Museum?” said one cheeky contender, a remark that seemed previously prepared by the producers.

Standing next to the full-size dinosaur skeleton in the entrance of the museum, jolly Sugar and his elderly aide Nick Hewer seemed to relish in this tomfoolery, making silly jokes about fossils. Hewer, in particular, couldn’t contain himself and had to turn away from the camera to conceal his smirks.

And so with an initial lack of enthusiasm, the hopefuls went off to decide who would be team leaders.

Irish James proposed he was the best person to take the helm of team Kinetic because: “I’m 16 going on 67.” While bossy Haya pushed over competition from school prefect and Boris Johnson-wannabe Harry to lead team Atomic.

As the teams split up to assess the different products on offer (which included a pie maker, a hand-held vacuum cleaner, a designer shopping trolley, and birdbox with built-in camera) the cracks began to appear on Atomic. Bossy Haya and little Lewis seemed to have a certain rapport in the initial stages: “I think old people are lovely, whenever I see them I just feel sorry for them. I want to give them a big hug and squeeze them,” Lewis commented. “Squeeze the money out of them?” replied a cynical Haya. But the steely stares soon came thick and fast from Haya when Lewis waffled his way through the pitch to try to secure the deal for the designer shopping trolleys (he failed).

Have-a-go Harry was next in line for insult as Haya refused to consider his recommendation for the portable pillow. Meanwhile, team Kinetic seemed to be doing fairly well under James’s sensible management.
At the retail show the teams got to grips with selling their products. The shopping trolley proved a hard sell with the penny-pinching pensioners, while the hand-vac cleaned up making team Kinetic a tidy profit of over eight hundred pounds. Atomic had less luck. Lewis’s sample pies were going down a treat with the perusing punters but they weren’t sticking around long enough to part with their hard-earned cash. And the bird boxes weren’t exactly flying off the shelves either for Harry M and Hayley.

The boardroom proved a predictable affair with Haya’s losing team under scrutiny for getting their product choice and pricing all wrong. The blaming and shaming came from all angles but it was little Liverpudlian Lewis who was sent packing. There’s no bitter side to Sugar in this junior version of the programme and he rather overcompensates by being too sweet, especially by treating the fired candidate to a ride in his Rolls-Royce Phantom, rather than the standard black cab. As little Lewis jumped into the back of the getaway car he seemed even smaller in comparison. Perhaps a pointer to the fact that these kids aren’t ready for the big bad world quite yet.

Young Apprentice 2011: Hanah Richards given the boot by Lord Sugar

After a third week vying for a place as Lord Sugar’s Young Apprentice 2011 this evening, it was 16-year-old Hannah Richards who lost out as she became the latest candidate fired in the boardroom.

The candidates had been tasked with making a profit by arranging flowers, and after some interesting arrangements and pitches from the youngsters it was time for the results.

Team Atomic, led by Hannah, made a total sale of £858.25 with total costs of £407.29, so a total profit of £450.96

Team Kinetic, led by Lizzie, made a total sale of £912.10 with total costs of £448.58, so a total profit of £463.52

With Team Kinetic winning the task by only £12.56, they went off for their treat of a luxury, chocolate themed, three course meal at Fortnum and Masons.

Team Atomic were left with their heads in their hands as they reflected on their narrow defeat before heading to the Loser’s Café to discuss why they didn’t make enough money.

Back in the boardroom Lord Sugar pointed out that if they had won the hotel deal they’d have won the task and the team agrees it was a contributing factor, as well as the decision on pricing. Hannah decided to bring back Zara and Harry M to the boardroom to which Harry M responded, “Hannah just to clarify, me and Zara brought in the lion’s share of profit”, but Hannah refused to change her mind.

With the candidates out of the room, Lord Sugar, Nick and Karren discussed the three candidates, with Karren highlighting the amount of negativity towards Harry M.

The candidates were then called back into the boardroom where Hannah explained that she has brought Zara back for not listening to her as Project Manager and Harry M because he’s not a team player. She admitted that on reflection the decision to price at double rather than triple was hers, “Hindsight is fine but when we were actually there and focusing on the selling, I didn’t pick up that tripling would be a better thing to do.”

Zara was then forced to defend her decision to quote higher prices to the client than she was told by PM Hannah, telling Lord Sugar, “I’m going to recognise that it was because of price that we lost that, I’m willing to accept and acknowledge that, but I don’t see why that justifies me being here when actually I brought in, almost single-handedly, almost £300.”

Lord Sugar then addressed Harry M’s issue with being a team player, telling him, “last week I was a bit concerned about this.” Hannah then dug the knife in to Harry M, stating, “obviously everybody has their flaws but that’s something so fundamental, not just in business but in life, which you can’t go through being so self-centered.”

But Harry M hit back, telling Hannah, “You’ve brought in the two people that made the most profit so if anyone missed the whole concept that the task was about profit, surely it’s you for bringing us two back.”
Lord Sugar then delivered his final decision. Telling Zara, “I don’t know what you’re doing here to be honest, I really don’t. So I’m telling you right now you’re staying,” he announced that it was a tossup between the two remaining candidates. Finally he informed Harry M, “on reflection I have to say, your salesmanship and your last sale has saved you”. Lord Sugar then turned to Hannah, “with regret Hannah, and possibly because, in my opinion, you brought the wrong people back, I have to say to you that You’re Fired.”

As she is driven away Hannah concluded: “I’m proud that I got this far yet a little bit disappointed I didn’t go further but I know I walk away from this knowing a lot more than I did when I came. It’s given me a foundation to build on for the future.”
Back at the house the remaining candidates all agree that they hope that Hannah will survive the boardroom. When Zara and Harry M return there are shocked faces all round, and an upset Lewis storms out of the room.

Young Apprentice 2011: Ben Fowler fired!

It was a second loss for the boys’ team in as many weeks on tonight’s Young Apprentice 2011, as Ben Fowler became the latest candidate fired by Lord Sugar in the new series of the show.

The groups had to design and brand a new product for babies, with the boys creating a drinks bottle warmer in the shape of a hippo and the girls deciding on a sling to help mothers support newborns whilst holding them.

In the boardroom, the results were clear.

The boys sold 1200 units to the boutique store, 0 units to the department store and 4000 units to the childcare chain selling a total of 5200 units.

The girls sold 0 units to the boutique store, 0 units to the department store and 7500 units to the childcare chain selling a total of 7500 units.

After a second consecutive win the girls went off for their treat, a street dance class with Diversity while the boys headed to Losers Café in search of answers.

With mutiny in the ranks, PM Lewis admitted: “There’s so much friction on the team it’s unreal.”

Back in the boardroom fingers were pointed as James put Harry M under the spotlight and reported: “Harry you made things very difficult on this task. It was like having an enemy on your own team.”

 

Lewis decided to bring back Harry M because “his attitude stinks” and Ben for his “lack of contribution”.

After sating their cases Lord Sugar deliberated: “Ben you seem to be someone who is eager to assist but doesn’t come up with any inspirational ideas. Lewis I like your spirit but the decision to pitch was disastrous. Harry I’ve heard a lot about what you contributed in this task but you’re not liked which is not a nice thing,”
Struggling to make a decision after praising them for their achievements in getting this far, Lord Sugar eventually concluded: “With regret Ben, You’re fired.”

As he is driven away Ben said: “Lord Sugar didn’t get to see the best of me, he didn’t like my calm, relaxed approach and unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to show him what I could do.”

The Young Apprentice continues next Monday at 9PM on BBC One.

Young Apprentice 2011: Mohamed Awale first to be fired

16-year-old Mahamed Awale became the first victim of the Young Apprentice board room this evening as the boys were thrashed by the girls in a task to design, produce and sell a range of frozen desserts.

In the boardroom, and neither team looked to have hit it off after the gruelling first task.

Cracks immediately appeared on the boys’ team as Mahamed stepped forward in an attempt to take credit for creating the product’s theme but a furious James hit back: “That is completely incorrect!”

Over on the girls’ team a similar scene emerged as they failed to see eye to eye but Nick Hewer stepped in and concluded: “It was just embarrassingly out of control!”

Lord Sugar quickly silences the rowing teams as he read out the figures.

The boys’ team Atomic spent £117.92 and took £677.17 making a profit of £559.25
The girls’ team Kinetic spent £131 and took £839.34 making a profit of £708.34

Back in the boardroom a tense showdown ensued with each candidate passing the buck in an attempt to steer clear of the firing line but PM Harry H eventually decided to bring back James and Mahamed, refusing to be swayed by James’ last ditch attempt at saving his position.



As tensions rose, James insisted: “I was the man with the ideas, everything came from me. Nobody else had any ideas when it came to the branding at all. I came up with the concept and the name, I was the one that pulled in most of the attraction.”
Sensing his demise, Mahamed again claimed that he was the brains behind the operation with Harry H interrupting: “Lord Sugar this is turning into a long list of Mahamed’s achievements and it is completely unfounded.”

Having heard enough, Lord Sugar prepared to deliver the dreaded verdict: “James as an economist which you claim to be, your idea of reducing the cost to £1 would have been absolutely suicidal.

“Mahamed you’ve convinced yourself that you were responsible for the majority of the sales, which you weren’t.
“Harry you were the project leader and there was a flaw in not noticing that the mobile team had the most potential.”

Concluding, Lord Sugar said: “It’s difficult because you’ve come from thousands of applicants and you are the young prospects… but, Mahamed; You’re Fired!”

As he is driven away Mahamed said: “I’m really surprised at being fired but at the end of the day I’m still going to be a success and it will be Lord Sugar who regrets it.”

With one candidate down, Lord Sugar’s hunt for a Young Apprentice continues…

 

 

Young Apprentice 2011 candidates: (L-R) Back: Harry Hitchens, Karren Brady, Lord Sugar, Nick Hewer, Lewis Roman (L-R) Middle and front: Lizzie Magee, James McCullagh, Harry Maxwell, Zara Brownless, Mahamed Awale, Hannah Richards, Hayley Forrester, Ben Fowler, Haya Al Dlame, Gbemi Okunola. Pictures: © Talkback Thames / Jim Marks