I'm rooting for Jim to win. I think he's hysterical and he's one of the few I'd go for a pint with.

But did you hear him with Benji this week when they got back? He said something like, 'You're always going on about how tough and hard you are. But today you shat it and proved you're totally spineless!'.

Go Jim lad!!!!

Yes, he's one of the nicest of the lot, and I think he has a lot more sense and brains than some of the others probably give him credit for.

The look on his face, and the "WHAT" when Ben selected him to return to the boardroom was hilarious. He is my favourite, although I don't think he has a chance of winning unfortunately.

I don't think he should be written off until he has had a chance to project manage.

He's a little bit 'under the radar' as far as actual task work is concerned but that could just be quiet competance. Until we see him forced into the limelight, making decisions and handling people it's very hard to call.

He already has done!

There is no 'Jim' on this year's apprentice.


As we were only shown a snippet of what James said to Ben, would like to see the full conversation unedited for drama.

Surprised you say that. He is a good leader, listener and has proved very astute in comparison to most of the others so i really don' see why he cannot win. I got him, Debra and Kate down for final 3.

SAS likes him as well

Not quite sure about the pointless "comment" you opened your post with - maybe it was meant to be humourous.

You did get to see a couple of seconds after his words sunk in and the response was diddly squat from Ben cos he couldn't say anything back and like everyone else has mentioned he looked a beaten man this week.

I agree. He has an individual kind of intelligence, and due to his kind of nutty loser presentation, this is missed by some of his team mates. Paula said he was very bright.

I agree with everything you say about James, but up to now I've liked Rocky, Majid and Paula and look what has happened to them. I will be thrilled if he gets to the final three with the girls.

exactly and I think (hope) we will see James become the stalking horse soon.

It is unfair to say that he flies under the radar as he has been singled out a couple of times, but I think he is happy to let others take centre stage and pick his moment (as he did with Ben) and that's what makes him a stalking horse rather than someone who flies under the radar.

that gives him more credibility in the team and in the show and I do think we will see him grow in stature.

Unfortunately for him he may become a scapegoat at some point in the future as some of the stronger personalities'gang up' on him but hopefully AS will see through that.

James and Kate are my favourites atm but the likes of Philip and Debra tend to stay in for reasons other than their ability.

I don't get this at all.

For whom would he be a stalking horse?

Why on earth would anyone in a one winner race who took part with the intention of winning become a stalking horse?

It doesn't make any sense whatsoever.

OK, I should have been more clear and the term stalking horse possibly works better in my head than my description. I should have perhaps used right hand man.

I did not mean a stalking horse in the sense of the show as a whole and stepping aside to let someone else win once you've carved a path for them.

I meant in the context of his conduct in an individual task.

He possibly accepts that he does not have the force of personality to get through the show on that alone.

He needs to avoid being singled out (either as a threat or a push over) but does not have the personality to avoid being taken into the boardroom just because he is popular/intimidating.

When he is taken into the boardroom AS will want to see more from him than he possibly would from a bigger personality.

What he may do in tasks is connect himself to the PM/a larger personality and be the brains who allows them to be the one who suceeds either because of or despite the PM.

i.e he is the one who supports the PM by helping to come up with the concept, presenting the idea positively to other team members, carrying out the specific role allotted to him but is never an outright threat to other team members because he allows the PM and other team members to take the credit where possibly they may want to.

That way, when his team loses he is seen to have contributed positively but not in such an influential way that he could be singled out as responsible - especially to AS - and when they win he is not seen to have riden on the coat tails of others.

Ben picked him at first because he was trying to think tactically and pick the one who people don't like/rate.

He did not pick up on the fact that James's contribution to the task would have been seen as positive by AS because he did what he was told and supported the PM (he was not the one arguing about whether they should go back and help the main team).

I was trying to make the point that he takes too active a part to be seen as flying under the radar but allows others to take centre stage where they want.

At the same time he does not present himself as the big I am and will not look to get into a personality clash.

He can use this to win the show by then picking the moments he comes to the fore such as his words with Ben.

I was trying to get over that helping others to succeed can often be seen as a very attractive quality in a business person and is a better tactic that flying under the radar and safer than taking the lead in everything in every sense.