Difficult though given the story, and competing stories, and her sex. Neil's got away with far more, and Jordan's worst moments have been forgotten more .

They couldn't not show Jason's demise, and it comes late in the series saga. They had built up Jason's story - particularly in the proceeding two weeks, so his story dominated for 3 weeks and needed a full resolution. The male that needs mothering, bambi, character is always popular with reality TV producers - thats almost certainly why they cast him. Its also usually popular with a large section of the female audience. The same sector tends also not to like most alpha females, (let alone Essex girls) and dislikes any who dare to shoot at bambi even more. There's also a tendency for far more brutal, alpha looking, males to get away with murdering a whole herd of Bambis, and female contestants, and not lose support.

Given thats all happening late on, its impossible to give Luisa a straight running story - just as it would have been for Leah if Dubai had occurred two or three weeks ago. They seemed to do the best they could by reshowing Neil actually shooting bambi in the head himself, and ignoring Luisa's role in the following week's retrospective section - but there's no way she could have a simple winners arc - even if she was doing that well .

It may not matter - because both Neil and Luisa have similar arcs, and her highs are nearer the end. If they have a clear winner at the last task, or a lot of their proposals crumble, whoever wins may look right - by default perhaps. That might be anyone - as all their proposals might crumble, or be unattractive or something he couldn't touch, even if they were viable.

I'm amazed that people think there is the remotest chance of Alan Sugar going into business with Luisa, given what has already been published about her history by the media. He's an extremely conservative (with a small 'c') man and there is no way he will want to run the risks of more adverse publicity about his choices or that the press have more dirt on her and her former partners to publish.

Well he went with a 'gangster's moll' last time and look where it got him.

See another thread quoting the radio times that she is almost certainly the one mentioned who will be in the final.

Works both ways. He can't be seen to be being driven by silly tabloid stories, or what Big brother fans, or Daily Mail readers don't like. He's meant to judge it on who has the best proposal and has shown the ability to perform what they propose.

Nor can he react to tabloid stories without risking something turning up on whoever wins, or the media going on a hunt to find cases he's ignored.

If he's got two good people and two good options he can quietly go for the safe option, or even take both and let one take the media interest.

The problem is he can't take a proposal thats silly, unworkable, or crashes - with all the media attention that would bring.He doesn't want to lose money, have too much to do, or have the newspaper headlines saying Sugar firm flops. Nor can he pick someone who has been invisible and not seen to even have the few good ideas Tom did during series 7 - people would ask how, why , and what was the point. Nor can he take proposals that are politically sensitive, and would be unpopular. He couldn't be seen running a hedge fund in series 8 , and he couldn't be seen selling luxury goods from a tax haven, to the mega rich, in a recession, this series. Some proposals this time may prove to have similar popular and political risks

If he's got no backup safe acceptable options, ignoring the silly irrelevant tabloid stories may be his best option - if the proposal that comes with it, is aceptable and stands up at all.

I understand what you're saying, but I do think if Luisa was the winner, the edit would have been a bit more in her favour than it has been - more like Neil's edit I'd say.

For the last few weeks, her edit has closely resembled that of Jade from last series - had a few bad tasks (and by bad I mean more 'didn't come across well') but then came into her own on a task that more or less is her day job.

She deserves to make the final on merit, but to actually win, I do feel she needs a good interview performance next week.

thenetworkbabe, do you know what Luisa's idea is? I don't mean that argumentatively, just that you seem to be suggesting Luisa has a better idea than the others, and I wondered what you are basing that on? Is it just that you like Luisa or that you know what she's proposing? I only know about her cupcake business.

She needed a more positive spin on her first win as PM to set the idea running , but as Lord Sugar said what he did they wouldn't have anything else to use then. They could have downplayed Jason's tale a bit but had to explain his going - and couldn't move that forward in her story arc If Jason endorses her though later it will look good. . They couldn't get much more positive since Jason's demise - unless she was filmed helping an old lady or kitten accross the road?

I would wonder more why she's recently posting, pretty innocent but Sun worthy, holiday snaps in fetching bikinis in Les Vegas ? But publicity sells businesses as well as gets magazine contracts.

BIB: I'd actually say only last week was really positive - she came across as trying to sink Francesca in week 9 (she may not have meant to do that, but that's how it looked). She did alright in weeks 5 and 7 though.

As for the publicity, I would have thought that was more of an indication that she doesn't win.

As I've said before - Luisa does make the right calls, and she does have the right idea about how to go about things, but she seems to have a bit of trouble in getting that across to others in a personable way (weeks 1, 4, 6 and 8 are good examples of this). She's not the only one - Neil had problems with that at the start, and Leah was the same in weeks 5 and 6.

She needs a very good interview round next week if she's going to look a credible winner to people who are currently opposed to her.

Thats the mystery. I think its a strong assumption, with fewer problems. versus obvious problems with what we know or are more certain about other people's projects.Its quite possible that he could find more to like elsewhere if he sees some problems as more serious. Francesca has always looked a good option if you judge just on that. and the figures hold up. Leah seems obviously very capable if you find her proposal acceptable.

There's supposedly 3 Luisa companies . 2 with websets/twitter.
https://twitter.com/dixiescupcakery
https://twitter.com/thebakershop
and she seems very busy in that field and doesn't talk on twitter about the third.

Its entirely possible she might have something related or something new , or the third business may be of interest if its something to do with technology (more in line with his interests?) as someone suggested.That might get the Alex argument though. The others have said what they are offering, or our suspicions have been built up - by shots like that of Leah being asked what she would do to an interviewers face.

Her advantages if (big if) its related to what she does. is that has something known and established, thats either working or not, on terms that are attractive or not. She passes the do what you know (Alex) test. She's passed the nearest thing to a series test of her proposal, and been praised for her retail skills , and even shown her cupcake making skills. There's been no test of Neil's property credentials, Leah's medical skill, or Francesca's business. Assuming its not more recent, Luisa and Francesca) have set up the advertising campaign for their businesses . She knows how to do that if she gets to the final 2 and thats the task . She knows the business. There's no political, or legal risk with cupcakes- unless she poisons people.

The obvious problem is he doesn't seem to have had a past interest in cupcakes - but he doesn't have a known interest in dancing or medicine either. He does know a lot about technology and property, but does he want what Jordan is offering or think Neil is credible?.

thenetworkbabe - thanks very much for replying. My guess is that it's something else - whatever the third company is. I might be missing it, but I can't see the usp here that would make this more than just one of thousands of bakeries and cupcakes seems to me so 'last year' - a horrible phrase, but I can't think of another way of saying it. Something food related that is going to be as big as cupcakes were for a while but that's new, that might be interesting.

i should think she's OK if she sticks to similar food. He's never been that interested in bridal shops or restaurants or any small shops before , so i would imagine something that can be sold over the net? If its totally new he would look odd now if he didn't say what he said to Alex. I don't think there's any problem though in saying you are going to expand something you already do. Tom had the nail file, Ricky was in recruiting, Zara's existing business beat James's bid for university fees. Wonder how much return he wants and if Luisa's figures suggest that? Or will he want to go for, say, the millions Neil is promising, or selling Leah's skills at a much higher price .

Even if that's the case, that doesn't say much about her.

Can't disagree more. Apart from the last ep she's been pretty mediocre

Episode 1 - Outsold by Rebecca (though tried to claim credit)
Episode 2 - Constantly whining and trying to second guess Uzma
Episode 3 - Presented well
Episode 4 - Buffalocal farce
Episode 5 - Jason was the stronger part of the sub team
Episode 6 - While she saved the team money by luck her cupcake lesson was devoid of business content (and so probably ended up costing the team money)
Episode 7 - Sold reasonably well
Episode 8 - Spent the first day undermining Jason and then gave an awful presentation
Episode 9 - Spent the two days flirting with Neil and trying to get Francesca fired
Episode 10 - Grood performance

So out of 10 tasks, she's only had 3 good performances - hardly a great candidate

At best her record is third to Jordan and Neil.

Hardly a winning edit. Maybe she's doing more than the rest.

100% agree, before this week she'd contributed very little and was often more of a hindrance. If she doesn't get her own way she is a massive liability.

Both Jordan and Neil have been far more consistent over the the 10 weeks. I guess it will come down to business plan, the guys efforts seemed poor so if hers is good then maybe she can pull a Tom

She has an interview in the daily star today as well.

I do think everything is in place nicely for her to win

yes the paper worthy of the winner

It's worthy of Luisa anyway.

Very few winners have ever had an outstanding edit throughout. People win because they just offer something thats wanted, or needed by the job, or others have more important failings. Tim's successes are very forgettable - even by the end.He has potential , though, and his opponents are either more difficult or too experienced and slick. Michelle must have been doing well for her team to win many weeks - but never got the credit until the final boardroom. Lee was obnoxious at times, and never looked as good as some others. Simon was hardly outstanding a majority of weeks. Yasmina was good throughout, but had bigger howlers than any of the last 5 this series andcut corners moredangerously on costs..Stella was outshone much of the time and had bad weeks. Tom's record was weak, and his PM outing farcical.

This lot have done better than many. . Neil's been pretty consistent, but has had some silly ideas alongside some real highs, Jordan has done less , and had some even sillier ideas. Leah has been consistent , but became more invisible as the series progressed.She's not done much wrong,just upset some people en route.. Luisa's actually done pretty well, she's sold and presented well, been more receptive to good ideas than some of her competition, won twice as PM and had happy teams working for her in her last 2 outings as PM. She's one of two people, with Neil , the others now have confidence in as PM, and she almost put a master class perfomance on in the last retail task - compared to the hash made of it many years.

I think the winners of Young Apprentice were more consistently strong than the adult winners - Arjun especially.

I'd agree with that, but you can't deny how the edit has shown her 'turn things around' since she should have been fired along with Jason in week 8(?).

I don't think she's been particularly impressive at all, and I don't think she should be applauded purely for finally showing some respect for other people.

She's still seems like an irritating little gobshite to me anyway.

Can't wait to see her being taken apart in the interviews - the clip of her interview with Margaret looks as though it will be fantastic.....

Luisa done a nude photo unprofessional, unless its photoshopped ? Look on twitter it's all there to see.Not really suitable for a business person is it to be the next lord sugar

The final 5 show looks like the winning edit for Neil.
Loathsome little toad

by Nicklore

Jordan has a large question mark hovering over him.
Franesca is uncomplicated and the voice of reason, and Karen notes she is a hard worker.
Neil is the one to put money on.
Leah is coming up on the rails.
Luisa is probably the best business person there...and its a business show...

Odd to encourage people to bet on Neil - not meant literally I assume.
Where's Leah going?
Difficult to turn around on Luisa's viability if you have just made the case for her in the previous show so strongly.


Only two can make it.