Given that, in real time, the winner of the Apprentice has already been selected, I thought that Mararget's wind change on Debra was quite telling. Up until now she has been reasonably clear on not liking Debra but, on last week's "You're Fired" she was singing her praises in a very subtle sort of way. Contrast that with the slightly negative comments she made about Kate and Yasmina..... mmmm?

She has reportedly worked for Siralun for decades and is a trusted advisor, so it wouldn't really be in her wont to go against him once he'd made up his mind. She can put her oar in, yes, but once the decision has been made, she needs to support it. In previous shows when she's been negative about Debra it could have been that the final result (in real time) wasn't know..... however, my feeling is that she now has to tow the line.

What do people think?

I thought the winner was selected only a couple of days before the final was aired, in which case, the winner hasn't been selected.

I doubt Debra will win. If it's true she contacted her parents during the Shopping Channel task then I can't see her winning. I'm sure her rule breaking will go against her. And I've got a sneaky feeling she may be a bit too confrontational during the interview task. I'd go with Kate as the winner but you never know who Sugar will go for. If he wants someome to make him smile he may go with James - the only man left in the competition.

There was a change in her attitude for sure, but this could be because Debra was impressing her more during the later stages of the process.I think Debra will get to the last two and that's how she impressed her. I've always thought she was a worthy winner, but I'm not 100% sure she can go all the way now, as she has been in Heat magazine and the general papers and I don't think a winner would have the model photo's out there.

I thought that Margaret did not work for Sir Alan any more

As Margaret was a partner with a top international law firm and is now indulging her passion for research of the classical world, (she is not and never has been directly employed by suralan) I think that you can be fairly sure that she will speak her mind (which is why we love her). She will therefore not be swayed by idiots.
I thought she had softened towards Deborah too, (and gone off Lorraine) and I suspect that as she sees a great deal more of the candidates than we do, it will be down to the candidate’s ability. I am not a huge fan of Deborah but if she gets Margaret’s vote then that would be enough to persuade me that she sees potential in her. I think she is a good judge of character and I think she sees through most of their game play early on.

That may well be the case, but I think she'd want to show a bit of loyalty to him nonetheless.... is she coming back next year, for example? If so, then it might be useful for her to be seen to be supporting him in his final decision. Just a thought.....

As well as not actually being SAS so not up to her, Margaret is also a tease with the public. That Debra first interested and then impressed SAS has been pretty obvious.
If she can focus on her strengths and convince him and others that the OTT attitude isn't normal, then it's her the others have to beat now. Kate's not making enough effort, perhaps because we've seen all there is now. Yasmina hasn't been willing to take any risks. James has plenty of business sense but isn't dynamic enough to lead. Lorraine is mostly common sense, but that's all. And none of that is news really.

What makes you think Margaret might not voice a disagreement with Sir Alan? She has said on record that Ruth Badger should have won series 2. I think their professional relationship which spans a long time is quite strong, and SAS likes people who tell it like it is.

The decision hasn't yet been made as to who's won - but the final two candidates are currently working for SAS in one of his many businesses and will continue to do so until the final decision is made (this is for those who don't already know, sorry if you do).

I think Margaret is an excellent judge of character and will definitely tell it like it is to SAS which as someone else says he obviously likes. BUT at the end of the day it's him who's employing them and his employee's who've got to work with them so the final decision is his with advice from Nick and Margaret along the way.

I don't think Margaret has particularly changed her opinion of Debra BUT she gives credit where credit is due and on the shopping channel task Debra outshone and outsold all of them.

I also think that Margaret, Nick and SAS have a working relationship that has such deep roots that he actually respects them for disagreeing with him rather than licking his boots like many others probably do.

Last' year's winner broke the rules by lying on his Cv...and he got caught...still won though

I'm afraid I read this thread title as being the harbinger of a rather unexpected tabloid shocker

no this series was filmed LAST YEAR!

seriously???

Yes seriously - it's always been like that. Every series they film all the episodes up to and including the final task in October/November the previous year BUT they don't film the final hired/fired boardroom until the day before the show goes out. During the time lapse of around 6 months the final two candidates both work in one of SAS's business.

They also film both candidates being told they're hired and fired so neither one knows until the day itself whether they're officially hired/fired.

Have a read of: http://www.bbc.co.uk/apprentice/about/workings.shtml

Mostly, yes, but they film a 'you're hired' with each candidate so can delay the decision right up to the wire with only the minimum amount of people being in on it. It is only made remotely public when they film the "You're Hired" show which, indeed will be only days off screening the final.

Certainly last year's was filmed in June.

G

The final two are both employed by SAS for six months leading up to the final programme. That's how the result is kept secret - SAS chooses one candidate very close to showing time.

I'm sure someone from here had tickets to last year's Your Hired and it was only filmed the day before the final show was aired - certainly no more than two days before so no one yet knows who's hired!

So the winners' reaction and cab home is acted? Since they dont' know the result till after it's filmed?

I love Margaret, she's funny.

Yes - but SAS picks the winner this week. They pre recorded two endings in November - one for each of the final two winning. The Beeb will only run the film for the winner on Sunday - the film of the loser being picked will be erased ASAP.

I think the journey to the cab home bit is filmed for all the candidates on the same day as one of the first things in the can, hence the big coats, for continuity.

G

I don't think Margaret gave it away. I would think that if she had said anything too obvious, it would have been edited out.

She said she did not agree that Howard should have gone last week.