I watched the entire first series a couple of weeks back for the first time (only started watching the show in 2006) and I'm so pleased I did.

Saira Khan easily goes down as one of my top ten candidates - opinionated, fiesty, funny and extremely entertaining. I definately felt the first series was all about Paul and Saira - they easily had the most airtime and made great television IMO.

On the other hand, the likes of Sebastian, Ben and Raj are three of the most forgettable candidates the show has ever produced. I can understand Adenike being completely forgettable, because she was the first to go, but they made it to weeks 7, 8 and 9 respectively by doing practically nothing (as far as we were led to believe). Very different to the way the programme is produced nowadays - we see the entertainment kept in over the talent a hell of a lot of the time.

The editing from then on was a lot more fair IMO.

And just to get my opinion out there, I think Tim was a very unworthy winner. Not because he wasn't shown much, but because his background made for a nice rags-to-riches story. The same can also be said for Michelle Dewberry...

EDIT: I thought Paul definately should've gone over Miriam - she reminded me a lot of Yasmina.

On re-runs I loved Saira after not really being a fan of her first time around.

I thought compared to some that came after her, she doesn't seem as harsh looking back.

YOU don't have to wait until they are shown on the TUBE to watch these series.

I loved the first series. My favourite episode had to be the second episode with Lindsay's awful 'Secret Signals' idea She was so delusional!

Saira was awesome but I wanted Miriam to win.

Ive rewatched the first series recently also and... well.... I honestly do not understand how people say Saira was robbed, theres several tasks along the way where she fouls up badly and is only saved by other peoples mistakes (Being rude to the football club? fouling up the advertising campaign for the radio-system?

Saira also lost both times when she was Project Manager, the first time being the very first task and the second time being the great foul-up with the football club, only being saved because of Raj being previously warned.

Meanwhile Timothy won once, lost once and only was brought into the boardroom once on account that there were three people only left in his team. The loss time however there wasnt even a boardroom because Adele quit (yet she would have been fired likely anyway). In addition he didnt really screw up in any large way.

I agree with this. But I still don't understand why he fired James, he deserved to reach the final.
He even fired James before he fired Paul Torrisi
I blame that idiot Paul Kemsley for James' firing.