Problem is Lorraine can't analyse. She jumps to conclusions and holds them regardless. Its the classic low 2. 2 student with one idea lost in a fog. Because she's relying on instinct rather than intellect she doesn't examine her ideas and can't explain them well enough. She lacks the presentational and analytical skills to sell them and has no credibility because she's so often wrong. She then sulks and is negative making her teams want to get rid of her.

You missed the key point tonight which is that Kate was the one who picked the right things to sell. She was the one who did have the strategic sense to analyse what would work and in a show where SAS went on about risk taking she took the right risk. She is applying her brain to the business issue at hand. Interestingly SAS made the comparison to Yasmina who took the safe decisions that he fired Howard for. The competition now looks like Debra who impressed him by selling well even with safe choices.

Well summed up again NWB.

I'm a bit concerned that SA seems to be making more wrong assumptions than the candidates.

I suppose he had to slate all three in the boardroom tonight for TV purposes, but his firing of Howard and keeping Lorraine tonight was totally the wrong decision. And I agree that it was totally hypocritical the praise heaped on Yasmina whilst slating Howard for doing the same thing. I can only think that keeping Lorraine for a further week, is to do with ratings. Howard wasn't controversial enough. Who knows?

I feel Lorraine suffers a lot of prejudice from the other candidates because of her "unattractiveness".

I don't agree at all with SA and Margaret that she is a slow thinker - which all seems to stem from her one comment that she is a "slow burner" a couple of weeks in. I think she was trying to say that when faced with any given situation she prefers to think through the pros and cons before coming to a decision, rather than jumping to immediate conclusions, but that comment was taken at face value and has come back to haunt her in the boardroom.

From what I've seen she is the only one with true analytical thinking which enables her to instinctively spot opportunities, and also the flaws in ideas. Her difficulty is in getting heard. This seems to stem from a lack of natural persuasive ability, but also from a lack of confidence in fighting her corner, which has got worse as the other candidates have increasingly displayed their pack-like mentality where they see her as the "ugly one" who puts a spanner in the works and who has the "cheek" to speak up (because as we all know, "ugly" people should shut up and do as they're told ). and they seem to automatically shout her down and scorn her ideas every time she expresses an opinion.

I really feel for her and hope she can find ways to get over this because I think she is definitely the best all-rounder in the group. At least Nick spoke up for her tonight.

NWB, sorry I was writing when you posted so I've only just seen this. I was wondering if you could give an example of one of Lorraine's resoundingly bad ideas? I'm not being awkward - I honestly can't remember her having any - so please can you refresh my memory?

I mostly agree with you, I interpreted her 'slow burner' comment to mean she thinks things through carefully before making a decision, but she used the wrong turn of phrase to express herself. I think Margaret was very harsh.

Hear hear lorry!

Margaret was especially unkind about her on You're Fired tonight.

I don't see Lorraine is any better or any worse than the others.

But analysis is about reasoning and being able to justify making a decision, which Lorraine does not really show. She leaps in and relies on her instinct, but never gives reason or analysis. That's why I think people don't listen to her.

I really like her now, she has that rabbit in the headlights look when she thinks she is going to be fired.

I think she is the dark horse, I hope she does well.

She did tonight.

She pointed out that the pet dinosaur was a highly innovative product and worth taking a risk over.

Margaret wasn't nearly as harsh as Nick was about Howard. The 'Your Fired' audience certainly thought Sir Alan had got it wrong this week.

I've seen no hint of that. Is it based on anything other than shear desperation to find a reason why nobody rates her?


She does keep returning to subjects long after the others have moved on. For example, on the fitness task she tried to revive Debra's ankle-exerciser when it was far too late to reconsider. She agreed with Kate that they'd spent too much on supplies in the cleaning task, but only when the deed was already done. She was still criticising Pantsman even while they were briefing the music guy. She was explaining how to design the Margate artwork when there was about half an hour to the deadline. She is too late. And worse, she wastes time because of it.


She doesn't, though. She just guesses, and calls it "instinct", and then never lets go of her initial thought.

Best example is on the advert task when (from the edit) her initial and only idea was to have multiple characters, and she kept pitching it up to and including the boardroom (when Sir Alan shot it down in the exact same way her team-mates had).


I don't recall her showing an analysis of anything, unless it's something someone else already explained to her.


And Margaret spoke against her. That was interesting; a reversal given her earlier support.

The product was too expensive for what it was. I don't think they would have sold it. I don't see why Sir Alan is so partial to Lorraine. She also liked the craft thing.

I was a bit baffled by the audience's reaction tonight.

What had Howard done that was so deserving of that reception?

And what has Lorraine done that's so wrong?

He was a rather forgettable candidate as far as I'm concerned.

I've not seen much footage where she was allowed to give reasons or analysis as she seems to be told to shut up, in as many words, as soon as she expresses a different opinion. I do agree with another post I saw where it was pointed out that persuasion skills are important in business, and it's definitely an area Lorraine needs to improve, otherwise she's going to go through life feeling "picked on". But this, like any other skill, can be learned.

I actually don't believe it's just "instinct" she does rely on. She's demonstrated her ability to spot flaws and opportunities too many times for it to be based on some airy-fairy gut feeling, and I've not actually seen her proved wrong yet either.

I agree that Nick was very harsh on Howard but I thought Margaret was extremly harsh too.

Yes the dinosaur was a risk, but like Sir Alan said, sometimes you have to take risks in business.

They only needed to sell one dinosaur. It was very possible.

I've just posted in the Cassandra Card thread. Why the assumption that the dinosaur would have sold any better?

Lorraine and Howard had some of the show's known best-sellers and failed to shift them. And the dinosaur, if anything, seems a more unlikely purchase by a wider demographic than those items would appeal to.

I agree with this - in fact if I could afford it I think I'd be tempted to buy one! I thought it was adorable!

They only needed to sell two more fryers!

See above, star products for that channel which should have sold like wildfire.

Haven't seen Kate tonight yetr....bbciplayer won't let me watch it so can't see what happened. my opinion was based on previous performances and looks like might be changed tonight. Not holding my breath that I will think higher of Lorraine though. Always known Kate arrogant, same as Deborah. Just what and who would do well for SAS.

Am getting a little frustrated with this whole if you don't like think Lorraine will win it's because of her looks card. I'm not male and as such, none of my opinions are clouded by looks. I don't hate Lorraine. Just because you think someone not a winner of a show like this and the "underdog" has nothing to do with looks.

I agree.

And I absolutely believe she is good at what she does. I don't buy the claims that she's the most useless candidate left. This forum is completely enamoured with Kate but I think beyond the obvious pitching/sales skills she exhibits, I've not seen anything particularly 'brilliant' or unique about her.

Lorraine has her flaws but to me, she's spoken a lot of sense in the past. I thought she did a wonderful job as PM last week (James has PMd twice and lost both times...) and she just seems very capable at what she does. She probably does rub people up the wrong way but then so does Debra. She needs to push ahead more with her ideas and that's what's holding her back. She's being accused of being a slow-thinker but Lorraine is treading a fine line between getting it right and pissing people off. Sometimes she's stuck in between a rock and a hard place.

I believe you. Looks have nothing to do with it for me either.

I just don't think the other candidates on this particular show have the same unbiased attitude.

she lacks good communication skills.

She is by no means stupid and clearly has business acumen. Doesn't make her the best candidate though, At the end of the day, she still does not have good pitching skills, interpersonal skills ans is unable to deal with conflicts in an effective way.

You summed the situation up perfectly.