It just seems like another case of attack the pretty girl on the reality show as so often happens but support the slightly attractive but overall more dowdy competitor.

It's getting like Big Brother in here.

Perhaps the other candidates are taking the personal route with her because they know that she is an excellent businesswoman and therefore feel they need to undermine her by bringing her 'unwelcoming', 'cold' and 'wooden' side to Sir Alan's attention. Stella is perfectly right in the sense that its a competition and that you're not there to make friends. Biggest thing in my mind is that it took for Stella to be part of a losing team and in the boardroom for the other contestants to bring that side of her to light. Very much doubt they'd complain if they were on the winning side with her.

to the OP: Do you always follow the crowd or don't you believe that people can feel threatened by others and therefore have to put their competition down? Stella has blown the bimbos (apart from Joanna) out of the water tonight and yet you still have to ask this question.

I just loved it when Chris described her as smug and superior. Usually that decription is used when you just can't attack someone who is above you or out of your reach. Hopefully all this bubbling jealousy will throw them all off their games. As Stella seems to keep a cool head in these situations.

I'd rather be a corporate hard-ass than a spiteful, envious bee-atch.

I just think she's really cold.

Couldn't have put it better myself.

Why would Chris be jealous of Stella?

Was he thinking, damn that Stella, I really am envious of the fact that she was part of a double team who brought Truffles for a £100 more than me and Tartan for £46 more than me?

Absolutely! Because they have NOTHING at all to gain by painting her in a bad light, do they?

Yeah, it is obvious that Stella is not liked at all in the house. Unlike Laura, she can´t even relax in the house (as noted at the opening segment of the episode).

Strangely enough, when Stella was being bitchy towards Stuart the other week people were applauding

Ah well, at least Stuart has one advantage for not looking like a model (or a female one at that)

Nope. Ive always admired Liz and thought she was an excellent candidate up until this episode.

And FWIW, Stella is hardly dowdy. I think she's very naturally pretty.

Joanne rolled her eyes at Chris when he was droning on about Stella. She probably just couldn't be bothered getting worked up about it.

Don't be so silly. I've been a Liz fan all the way through, and was disappointed with her behaviour.

And Stella isn't dowdy.

In fairness to Stella with Stuart, he really did act like an idiot in that task with the he keeps everything in his head and does not need to write it down speech and to also start going on about her age. Any contestant in a team is going to want to win and when your PM is coming up with such utter rubbish you are going sound off abit. Joanna gave an insightful criticism of the lack of structure as well.

I do think this idea that the house are collectively threatened of Stella and are also jealous of her is absolutely ridicilious though and I also think she does come across as unlikeable and does rub people up the wrong way.

I also posed the question about Joanna as I really don't see that Joanna has anything especially close with Stella. Joanna works well with everyone and seemed closer to Liz tonight.

I find it odd that people are saying Joanne is supportive of Stella rather than Liz. Was it not Liz that Joanne hugged before heading back to the house? I would take that as evidence that Liz is more liked in the house than Stella. We see very little footage of what goes on in the house and can only guess at what has been going on by interpreting the body language of contestants and analysing the comments they make to each other during tasks. Let's not forget that they are living their own big brother in that house all be it for a much shorter time. Tempers will fray at times.

Because he's over-competitive and he's intimidated by Stella as it looks like she doesn't even break a sweat ever. Usually people fear what they don't understand, and that looks to be happening in that house, especially as it's a competition. The fear is turning to hatred.

Chris showed a high level of completely unnecessary resentment just then. Think he needs a stress-squeezer next time.

The hackneyed 'jealousy' argument rears its head, I see.

damn. if I'd waited a minute I could have just let Duane speak for me

Of course she would: Laura is/was no threat!!

Did any of the candidates have something positive to say about Stella tonight

People like the underdog though, so Liz will be probably be burned at the stake (like Katie) when she comes on You´re Fired

Stella is hardly an underdog.

No, no, no.

She'll be on You're Hired!

Stella's performance hasn't been intimidating. She's almost always been paired with Joanna, who is impressive; it's tempting to say she's been riding Joanna's coattails. I think Chris had a point. Stella has had a good record, avoiding the boardroom, without doing much to earn it. She had two wins as PMs basically through luck and the other team going wrong. It's hard to point to anything she's done that justifies her place. It's good that she's finally been brought into the boardroom.

If you are the sort to undermine those who threaten you, surely they should undermine Liz or Joanna?

I don't care who is more liked by the candidates.

Laura was clearly well liked by the others but was a completely incompetent candidate.

She is given the same treatment as Adam and Kristina in Series 3 (everyone ignoring her in the house)

Yes stella's attractive without the trowel-applied make-up, unlike Liz. It's what you see is what you get with Stella and she's led well. She puts Stuart in his place whereas Liz would just flutter her eyelashes and thrust her fake knockers in his direction to get what she wants. She's a fake all ways round and a nasty one at that. There's fighting for your place in the boardroom and there's scrapping and she showed herself up tonight for the weak person she is, just relying on her looks to get by and, let's not forget, copying her competitors' ideas.