No, I'm not surprised at all, it has been on the cards for weeks, especially when it looked as though she was going a few weeks ago for being too corporate.

But it was an eye rolling moment. When Baggs did the same thing everyone slated him. Also everything in the boardroom stays in there. It's widely accepted that it's not personal. Only Liz and Melissa have taken anything personally. everybody else accepts it's part of the process. Some people are acting as if she's killed a child.

Is hofty a Melissa word?

Oh right! So instead Stella should have declined and handed the Apprentice to Chris to show how much she cared about him?

It doesn't matter how inane Chris was being. He's a fellow finalist and she would have come across much better if she'd shown him a bit of respect.

You aren't falling for Amanda Platell's line about getting Stella getting 'personal' in the boardroom, are you? It's as ridiculous as Liz's complaint a few weeks back.

In the boardroom, candidates have always explained their strengths relative to others. Why should the final be any different? It wasn't a savage assault on his worth as a human being - she was just saying why she felt she was better equipped for the job than Chris.

She was complimentary about him on YBH too!

Well she is, she won.

What did she have to be smug about before she was hired?

And I thought she came accross rather lovely during Your Fired.

Good for Stella. The others (including Chris) had been very bitchy about her behind her back.

I felt smug on her behalf when it was announced she was hired.

It was a very satisfying moment indeed

She had less airtime tonight on the You're Hired show than what Chris did.. she looked happy to me not smug.

This blog I found talks about tonights apprentice. http://mymessylittlethoughts.wordpress.com/

She did indeed. She's a lovely person as well as talened. I didn't think she was smug - just happy to win.

I thought she really did herself in (Paloma like), when she questionned Chris's enthusiasm.

It was a major slip up and she was lucky to get away with it, SO close to the finishing line.

Thought it was a bad decision tonight.

I can see exactly how she gets what she wants, she showed in her presentation, desperate begging basically. Then in the boardroom with knocking others to get something for herself.

Didn't seem a very nice person at all throughout the competition, and made a LOT of mistakes "Let's buy truffles from an expensive restaurant" because they're bound to sell them cheaper than direct from a supplier.

She had the best record of all. Much better than chris having only once been in the boardroom. And then she was not to blame and could not have been fired. She did seem like a passenger even on this task, like on all the others. But she deserved to win on personality alone.

See I think the fact noone seemed to get on very well with her unless forced to was perhaps a sign that she wasn't a nice person.

Instead of the automatic Reality TV viewer decision that in a situation of a group v 1, the group is in the wrong and bullies, it seemed like they were just venting about having to live and put up with a mardy cow who was quick to place blame yet couldn't handle criticism of any sort.

How anyone who gets a grand total of £1 off a sewing machine turns out to be the best candidate is beyond me.

Steady Stella is what we called her in the Button household.

Her simpering smug smile should have been the signal for LordSirAlan to throw her a curveball in her perfect life and offer the job to Chris.

What about when chris called stuart a fat tw*t?? That was entirely personal and far worse than what Stella said in the boardroom.
Yes she did make mistakes but so did Chris, and I would include giving 20% of all earnings in the bus tour task one of them. He was lucky that he got away with that, and that the other team failed so badly. It was hardly the stroke of genius that Sugar said it was.

So in short both said things that could be deemed as not very nice and both made mistakes. However Stella was by far the most consistent over the course of the 12 weeks, and I thought she handled the interviews very well, which shows she can take criticism and respond in a decent manner.

Yes, that was unprofessional of her. Still we all make mistakes, I think Stella is a worthy winner. I really liked Chris and have no doubt he will do well. As all this was recorded a while back it would be interesting to find out how they are doing now.

I can understand why some people might have perceived the situation that way, but I got the impression the others saw Stella as a threat and therefore someone to bring down and collude against.

I wanted Stella to win from the beginning. Therefore, I was very disappointed when she made a personal criticism of Chris. It was out of character and such terrible timing to boot! However, I think it was obvious that she was very keen to win and therefore she could be forgiven somewhat....she had been controlled and civil throughout the past three months and one lapse at the last hurdle should not have marred her chances of success, although as I say, even I was disappointed

I think people are confusing smiling with being "smug".

Smug?!

It's the passion!

That Chris doesn't have.

dunno, the one who shared a house with him for 12 weeks or more? the one who talked to him privately, cameras off and ties loosened, honesty levels enhanced by drinks?

I think that little jibe with chris showed Sugar the last thing he needed to know about Stella.