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Old 22-10-2015, 19:49
coughthecat
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Yes, that's why I suggested it might be to do with his age.

Although we don't like to stereotype, when The Apprentice started Lord Sugar was 57. He is now 68. It would make sense that his reactions are not as swift or sharp as they once were. He now sounds either unwilling or unable to sum up his thoughts coherently. I do take people's points about how the producers have trained him to add suspense, but to be honest I think if that's the case the producers really haven't done it effectively. Even five years ago, he spoke a lot more clearly than he does now.
Maybe he's just getting bored with the whole thing but is reluctant to let go of it!
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Old 22-10-2015, 21:32
Max Love
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He's always struggling. I don't think it's an age thing, it's just for drama.
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Old 22-10-2015, 21:41
firefly_irl
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Thing is he uses it so much its no longer dramatic, just predictable.
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:00
allafix
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Yes, me. Immediately I heard it I thought it was hackneyed.

Sugar is turning into a carrot that sits in the bottom of the fridge, going all soft and black at the end.
The image of Lord Sid going soft and black at the end is not one to dwell on for long.
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:13
Absintheminded
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Lord Sugar used to be very eloquent, could respond with a quick retort to almost anything. I feel like he's losing it. His age perhaps?
He's burnt out on the concept, I don't see how anyone wouldn't be after so many years. I think what made the show good before is he genuinely enjoyed his role; the comebacks and putdowns and banter in the boardroom. Now it's become too much a concept, a job and it's evident. Time for a new boss, I guess.
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:20
coughthecat
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He's burnt out on the concept, I don't see how anyone wouldn't be after so many years. I think what made the show good before is he genuinely enjoyed his role; the comebacks and putdowns and banter in the boardroom. Now it's become too much a concept, a job and it's evident. Time for a new boss, I guess.
I think that would call for a completely new thread!

Perhaps they could just sit the infamous paper skeleton in the chair, paint on a bit of stubble, and have someone read out Sugar's rather predicatable script?

In fact, maybe they could turn it into a task by giving both teams a skeleton kit and getting them to construct it. I reckon at least one of them would end up with a paper aeroplane!
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:27
allafix
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He's burnt out on the concept, I don't see how anyone wouldn't be after so many years. I think what made the show good before is he genuinely enjoyed his role; the comebacks and putdowns and banter in the boardroom. Now it's become too much a concept, a job and it's evident. Time for a new boss, I guess.
I think if he quit the role the Apprentice would finish too. My feeling is the BBC is only making it because he wants to continue.
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:29
george.millman
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I think if he quit the role the series would end.
It would to start off with, but in ten years' time (or maybe even less) it could easily come back with a new host. I'm not sure if anyone new would be any good though. Lord Sugar's personality is such a major part of what makes The Apprentice UK. I have rarely been able to get into any international editions (the only exception being The Apprentice Australia) because I fail to find anything remotely charismatic about the boss.
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:57
allafix
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It would to start off with, but in ten years' time (or maybe even less) it could easily come back with a new host. I'm not sure if anyone new would be any good though. Lord Sugar's personality is such a major part of what makes The Apprentice UK. I have rarely been able to get into any international editions (the only exception being The Apprentice Australia) because I fail to find anything remotely charismatic about the boss.
Maybe Channel 5 would pick it up, like they did BB. If it did come back it would certainly be very different.

The only business person I can think of who has the TV profile, grumpiness and the ability to play up to the role is Duncan Bannatyne. I'd like it if he took over. But he's nearly as old as Lord Sugar.
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:59
coughthecat
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Maybe Channel 5 would pick it up, like they did BB. If it did come back it would certainly be very different.

The only business person I can think of who has the TV profile, grumpiness and the ability to play up to the role is Duncan Bannatyne. But he's nearly as old as Lord Sugar.
If it was Channel 5, they'd probably get Katie Price to do it!

Mind you, she might not like all the publicity!
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:59
firefly_irl
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If he left I feel they'd try the full Celebrity format, because rumours back in the day were that he was opposed to a full celeb series hence the development of Junior Apprentice.

Possibly my favourite ever Apprentice (Celeb or normal) moment was Joan Rivers and Melissa running around in a medical boot
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnNmJ7lKCm0

I'd love to see just one Celebrity series in the UK.
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Old 22-10-2015, 22:59
davads
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Maybe Channel 5 would pick it up, like they did BB. If it did come back it would certainly be very different.

The only business person I can think of who has the TV profile, grumpiness and the ability to play up to the role is Duncan Bannatyne. I'd like it if he took over. But he's nearly as old as Lord Sugar.
Or they could just finish it when LS bows out. Wouldn't be the same.
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Old 22-10-2015, 23:05
firefly_irl
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I don't think grumpy is a requirement, I mean Trump isn't grumpy he's just vocal and a big mouth. Really they'd just need someone witty, mouthy and willing to be "out there".
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Old 22-10-2015, 23:14
hownwbrowncow
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I don't know why people think that it would end without LS. In his Unscripted book he suggests he's been wavering since as early as Series 7, and has had to be convinced to continue on many occasions.
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Old 22-10-2015, 23:14
allafix
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I don't think grumpy is a requirement, I mean Trump isn't grumpy he's just vocal and a big mouth. Really they'd just need someone witty, mouthy and willing to be "out there".
Duncan Bannatyne ticks all those boxes. Well maybe not witty, but Sugar's wit only goes as far as painful puns. Being grumpy isn't a requirement but it's one of the reasons why Sugar does it so well. Trump is a pompous idiot and someone like him wouldn't last five minutes hosting a British TV show.
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Old 22-10-2015, 23:16
allafix
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Or they could just finish it when LS bows out. Wouldn't be the same.
Which is what I said originally.
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Old 22-10-2015, 23:20
Oliver_Tomlinso
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I don't know why people think that it would end without LS. In his Unscripted book he suggests he's been wavering since as early as Series 7, and has had to be convinced to continue on many occasions.
you can tell by his on screen presence, i think he's tired of the show hence his lack of enthusiasm. It does seem more evident than usual this year though( based on the 'flat' final boardroom's)...
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Old 22-10-2015, 23:51
allafix
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I don't know why people think that it would end without LS. In his Unscripted book he suggests he's been wavering since as early as Series 7, and has had to be convinced to continue on many occasions.
Maybe it is the BBC pressuring him to keep going. But why would they do that if there were viable alternatives to take over from him? That's why I think when he calls it a day The Apprentice UK will stop.
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Old 23-10-2015, 00:43
george.millman
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I think it would be terrible if it was taken over by Channel 5, or indeed any channel featuring adverts. We see little enough of the tasks as it is, without having to contend with commercial breaks every twelve minutes or so. If they were going to do that, I think they'd have to make the programme considerably longer for me to even consider continuing to watch.
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Old 23-10-2015, 01:31
firefly_irl
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I think product placement would greatly help because brands could then come on and have teams create campaigns, products or manage events for the specific brands. Even on the Irish one I liked that we had them come up with campaigns for actual brands like Ford, Lucozade, Dublin Aiport, HB Ice Cream and Samsung rather than the pie in the sky stuff you see on The Apprentice UK.
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Old 23-10-2015, 04:53
Iqoniq
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Maybe Channel 5 would pick it up, like they did BB. If it did come back it would certainly be very different.
Just as long as they don't have that Marcus Bentley doing the voice over. He always sounds like he's getting off on a power trip when he says people have been evicted, and sounds like he's constantly mocking someone.
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Old 23-10-2015, 06:26
ShotDownInFlame
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I certainly think this programme has a lot of life left after Lord Sugar. Don't get me wrong, I love Lord Sugar in the role and personally can't outright name who I'd want to take over from him because I can't think of anyone suitable atm.

But The Apprentice is just one of those shows that will always be a sort of "water cooler conversation" type shows, it's not really about the boss per sé as much as it is the candidates, and so long as there's classic moments a la Baggs and his field of ponies you're always going to have a show worth watching imo.

But I do agree, Lord Sugar does seem more "scripted" than usual, not saying he wasn't heavily scripted before because of course he was but this year I think he's making it a bit more obvious. I can't but wonder if that's due to the fact that he's aware when this started he was with Nick and Margaret and now of course they've both moved on to greener pastures while he's stuck playing "mentor" to the same group of stuck up pond life that are the Apprentice candidates, I mean let's face it, having to frequently deal with that really would suck the life (and to a lesser extent, the willingness to live) right out of you.
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Old 23-10-2015, 09:39
TheGraduate2012
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The whole show has become so cringe, especially Sugar's crap, cliched jokes. The man does not have the personality for reality TV.
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Old 23-10-2015, 10:18
Jill_Woodward
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He isn't struggling.. I expect maybe 2 or 3 of the candidates are chosen for their business plaan and are known to be in the final from the start..the others are their for entertainment..it's a TV show aftterall
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Old 23-10-2015, 11:00
lammtarra
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I don't know why people think that it would end without LS. In his Unscripted book he suggests he's been wavering since as early as Series 7, and has had to be convinced to continue on many occasions.
Because The Apprentice has ended in all the other countries where it was hosted by people other than Lord Sugar. Even Donald Trump's American original just limps along with celebrity series.

This means there really is something special about the British series, and the most obvious is Lord Sugar. It might not be him, it could be Dara or Nick Hewer or the production team or just the fact the BBC can show a whole episode without commercial breaks.

But we should be careful what changes we wish for.
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