So was I. Especially given the history which had built up. She really had to kick ass or they would have buried her.

I agree. But maybe they're not looking for work as such, but see it as the best route to celebrity status - newspaper deals, celeb reality shows etc. Look at Katy from last year. She made a few bob out of it, I'm sure.

yes it was lee- earnt my respect for that

Mine too. Good for him.

I hope he is Team Leader next week.

SPOILER WARNING

I think

I absolutely believe Helene said it. She's said similar about Lucinda in the past and is very straight talking.

That said, Lucinda was 100% wrong to bring it up. It's just not a very noble thing to do in life generally: telling someone what someone else thinks of them. Let your argument rise or fall on its own, and let others back you if they choose.

I think it was a sign of her desparation in the boardroom. Understandably. She was outnumbered by the sales three and felt she needed the strength and support of her own two production mates. She overestimated their unity though. Plus not everyone has her integrity... some people, most in fact, will say something behind a person's back that they wouldn't dream of saying to their face. And Lucinda wrongly assumed, I think, that Helene would be prepared to nail her colours to the mast if pushed. But as straight talking as Helene clearly is, it was HER choice whether to raise her issues with Jennifer directly and in her own time.

That boardroom was not Helene's fight and it was therefore not Lucinda's right to bring Helene into it at that point in what was a very destructive way, to both Helene and Jennifer, their feelings and their relationship in the future. I really don't believe Lucinda meant any harm or was being strategic though. Just very naive.

And that's why they don't like her, they see her as an alien species.
They look in the mirror each morning and see 'gods gift', then they look at Lucinda (up front, honest, kind) and they just don't recognise those qualities.
Yes, Lucinda was telling the truth, Helene did say what she said about Jennifer. She said it on camera.

I don't know why people are saying Lucinda was wrong to get Helene as an enemy and she needs someone like her 'onside' when it is clearly obvious that Helene detests her and all she represents already so even if she was as nice as it was possible to be to her, Helene would only interpret that as a sign of huge weakness and walk all over her and stab her in the back at the earliest possible moment.

Helene is probably hugely surprised that Lucinda is still there to be honest - she can't bear her but doesn't see her as a threat which is why she is so horrible to her face, she doesn't see the point in keeping her sweet as Lucinda has nothing to offer her. She will backstab those she sees as threats but be nice to their faces to try and avoid being brought into the boardroom, which is why she was so angry at being quoted badmouthing Jennifer. Now that it is clear that nobody really likes Jennifer anyway, I predict she will be in for the kill very shortly.

It was a wondrous stsement that still has me chortling

Hmmm, I'm not sure I get the Lucinda love so much.

This is business - Helene is a nasty character and probably said it.

But for Lucinda to do this 'she said She's evil and a snake' in a business meeting - I was aghast.

This isn't a play ground, it isn't even (supposed to be) Big Brother.

And if Helene did say it, surely it's shitstirring.

She has but only at a cost to her reputation.

Who would employ Katie now other than media people? She isn't going to be successful business woman now just another Z list celebrity.

Watch it again on Iplayer and watch Raef's face when Lucinda says those things... that's pretty much how I looked at the time.

Looking at it again, I feel slightly sorry for Jennifer Maguire. She looks genuinely a bit hurt, though she's hiding it well. I don't think she was aware of this general opposition to her. I imagine plenty of Maguire bitching has gone on, which has been edited out until now.

I think Lucinda's real problem is probably that she is too honest.

I agree, Jennifer looked hurt and surprised. I think she is simply competent and focussed on the more important issues and this has caused her to be labelled as cold. She seems like a decent human being to me who is concentrating on the business tasks and is avoiding all of the social dynamics and interpersonal rivalry, a perfectly reasonable strategy. Underneath her business brain she actually seems quite sensitive and humane, and her behaviour in the boardroom has been exemplary, she is polite and respectful, she doesn't butt in, she doesn't personalise issues and instead focusses on actions, and she articulates her opinions very well.

In all she is very compatible with business and as she is clearly intelligent and her chances of winning are good.

Not sure how people are saying it was wrong of her to say it. Helene has been giving her shit since day 1. Bout time she had it back.

I'm 100% certain that Helene did make those remarks - Lucinda is probably the most honest of the candidates.

I didn't feel the slightest pity for Jennifer M - repeating Helene's comments in the boardroom might be construed as unprofessional but she was explaining why she hadn't insisted on mixing the teams. She clearly felt that putting those two together would be a mistake, possibly disruptive, and was entitled to give her reasons for thinking so. It was also high time Helene realised that not every victim buckles under her bullying.


Well clearly Sir Alan wasn't impressed with the business brain offering exclusivity for the product without authority.


Hear - hear.

Mine too. He and Lucinda are definitely my favourites. I also think Lucinda was telling the truth about what Helene said about Jennifer.

Also - respect to Lucinda for not taking Helene into the boardroom - if it was the other way around, I bet Helene would have taken Lucinda in, out of spite. Instead, Lucinda took in the two people who she felt deserved to go in, based on the task.

She wasn't exactly that to Lucinda when they were first in the boardroom and talking about her management skills.

Sorry, I disagree. If Helene did say it, then not only was she being nasty, she also lied about it.

On the contrary he must have thought she did have a business brain otherwise he would have used the error as an excuse to fire her.

She tried to push the limits and she went too far, but others weren't even pushing or lacked the imagination to do so.

He called her an idiot! I think he would have fired her if there hadn't been an even bigger idiot in the room, ie, Lindi. He saved the lesser of two idiots.

I think she was, she made her points in a mature and non-malicious manner.

Just because she commented on someone's failings when asked does not make her someone who personalises issues. She criticised Lucinda's skill shortcomings and their impact on the team performance, which is an entirely valid action.

He didn't call her an idiot. He implied that he could consider thinking in those terms, it was more of a witty retort and motivational ploy for the cameras rather than anything else I think. She is clearly no idiot.