Over the past few years of watching the show. I kind of feel like the whole process is scripted?Obviously its massively edited like most things on television. Sir Alans rubbish one liners, certain people staying for things you'd get fired for in a flash in everyday work life. Not to mention everytime the interviews come round its the Stuart Baggs and Daniel Lassmans of the world pulling us all in, screaming at our tvs.


Just a thought, what does everyone else think?

It isn't scripted - numerous former candidates have been asked this question, and everyone has been completely frank about saying it is not scripted at all. Although of course, the programme is edited so that any memorable lines are brought up in a memorable context.

But surely, its set in stone from the beginning who will make good tv, cause arguments and of course who is actually a competent future business partner.
As the series goes on, I personally just find the whole thing slightly hard to believe.

Of course the producers pick people who will make good television, but I don't think that necessarily equals incompetence. The majority of candidates have done well in their specific fields.

Of course, this is just my opinion, and there are many who think there are other things behind it. From Lord Sugar's decisions, I think there are certain types that he really likes, but I don't think he personally is especially concerned about keeping in entertaining characters. If it is, I would always query why Steven and Sarah went out so early.

I don't think scripted is the right word. The producers stick to the same formula for every series though and it becomes more obvious each year.

Added to this I think as well (especially since the investment format of the show was introduced) Sugar has a good understanding of the type of people he could work with in the future and would look to do what he could to help those contestants as well as create opportunities to eliminate people he doesn't see prospects in. In my eyes this was one of the reasons why he was so hard on Felipe with the skeleton because he needed to create an opportunity to fire Felipe before it was too late.

I see where you are coming from. However these days television is pretty awful reality tv or not, so 'shock' treble firings and extra contestants (surely meaning double and treble firings would happen) arguments at a fair etc. I understand what you are saying about Steven and Sarah, but they would have been ridiculous to keep in. Where the Mark and Daniel Feud, James' attitude and Sanjay doing nothing, are much more easier to digest.

Maybe scripted is a over exaggaration of what im trying to get at. You say he needed to create an opportunity to fire Felipe. I feel that is somewhat dictating how things go as his mind has already been made up.

i just wonder how you end up with people deciding on meals that there just happen to be facilities for, and people who will offer them a mix of nice and foul ingredients. Or why one diamond seller sells his wares at a starting price half another diamond dealer.

Its not scripted, but it looks channelled?

nailed it

I thought James was reading from a script in the episode he left, when he turned into a panto villain for 40 minutes.

The show is becoming too much like other reality TV shows.Tonight with Bianca and the crying and the sad music in the background, only for her to storm to the final................i thought Simon Cowell was producing the episode for a minute.

Lord Sugar called the herb "Kojak" this week, so I'm guessing no.

Does a bear defecate in the woods?

I don't think it's scripted, I mean, you'd have to sack the idiot who'd write such shit

Very heavily edited though so we only get to see whatever 'side' of the candidates they wish to portray and have pigeon-holed them as.

Bit like Big Brother but less swearing

Mostly. For example that scene (as it was a scene) where Claude was reprimanding Solomon came across as pure theatre.

It doesn't need scripting though does it really?

After 10 years of doing this, old Claude the Bastard knows exactly what's expected of him during the interviews

And Soloman's 'back of a fag packet' approach to Business Plan preparation was a gift.

Agreed. He was nothing short of rude, which to me shows it's been planned. I just can't see anyone reacting like that - i.e. over the top angry. Why would Claude get angry? Solomon's inadequate business plan wouldn't really affect him one iota.

Also, the whole "someone brought me your phone" bit was hilariously unrealistic. Surely you'd keep your phone in your pocket (admittedly on silent or off for the interview).

"Guys, I don't want to alarm you, but I think the interviewers might be in on it!"

Claude isn't sat there watching the lift going up thinking "oh crap oh crap think of something clever think of something clever." The interviewers have made notes. They have scrutinised the CVs, they have formed opinions. That's why some of the paper is green, they've used the magic of highlighters. This... isn't exactly the show trying to get one over on you!

Have they? Or have the producers?

Again, when they say things like "I did a bit of research..." or "I called up XX and they say you're wrong". I doubt the actual interviewers did that. I bet they're just fed lines by the producers of the TV show who are the ones who've actually done all the research.

It's just a bit of a laugh and I think we're meant to realise the planned element, hence it's not really that deceptive as such.

rwebster, here's your phone. I had it brought to me.. No, you didn't have it in your pocket.

How would we know if what we see is an edited version?

Of course it's scripted. How could it not be?
When people speak of it being scripted, I don't think they mean that everybody is acting to a script where they learn lines, not the contestants anyway. Although I'd imagine that people like Sugar and Claude sort of know what sort of thing they're going to say, and probably have one or two lines of their own that they'd like to use when the cameras roll. But there will be a storyline flow which is extracted from the events and illustrated in the edit.
There will be a direction of sorts and the producers will want to illuminate certain aspects and play certain aspects down, in order to create a narrative drive.
So yes it is scripted in that context.

Many things will be real, such as the Daniel/Mark rivalry. But real things such as that will be worked with on a subjective level in order to tell a story that the show wants to tell. They can select clips to highlight this rivalry, or use other clips to play it down. But once people write a show or edit a show, subjectivity is unavoidably introduced, and a direction set in order to tell a particular story.

I don't think it is scripted, but I do think it is steered the way the producers want it to be.

BB is a clever comparison because it is basically just getting a random selection of people and putting them in a situation that is contrived, and mostly out of their control. Organic reactions to inorganic situations.

So it's not scripted then - like I said

I believe In the USA the term is "structured reality".

Obviously some of the candidates are on there through making good tv rather than their business acumen
As you stated there is a lot of editing going on. I really do hope for instance when you see the person saying' I'm the greatest business man Lord Sugar would ever meet' the words 'is certainly not what I am thinking. That would be disrespectful to the other candidates' has been cut. But with these people you doubt it. Though in this series there do seem to be some more level headed contestants than have gone on before in the past.

I think there is a certain level of contrivance going on, which seems to happen in most reality series these day.

I highly doubt Alan Sugar goes into each series thinking "right, give me 15-20 business plans, and we'll whittle it down week after week to see who's is best". He clearly has his eyes set on one or two profitable business plans, and uses the rest of the candidates for television.

Like all reality TV, it's about the personalities, that's why we watch. They give us the likeable ones (Katie, Felipe, Roisin) and the eccentrics (Sarah, Steven, James) to keep us tuned in to the end. I really believe they have a good idea of who will be in the final two well before the show starts, based on business plans.