I'm not a regular in this forum so this might have been covered so if it has I apologise.

I do wonder how the outcome stays a secret for so long? The series is filmed in the summer of last year and whoever has won the apprentice and probably the second place person are already working for SAS so how does it stay a secret. I can't believe that not one of the former disgruntled candidates would keep quiet or that someone from production wouldn't let it slip. In the final task they are often doing things for the public so you would think that someone would sell the story at least for the final two (as i've said I'm not a egular on this forum so the winner might be well known on here.)

Is the outcome a well know secret or literally are all the viewing public in the dark?

It wasn't filmed in the Summer. Filming started in Autumn 2007 and most likely continued into this year.

When the final two are chosen they work for Sir Alan for a few months until he decides which one to hire.

There are plenty of people who know the result, however most of them are legally restricted in some way. The candidates and production team are legally bound to a non-disclosure contract which, according to past candidates, lasts "well past the end of the series".

As for the press, they already know who gets fired each week and probably who's in the final - all of this is embargoed until it appears on screen. The papers wouldn't want to print explicit spoilers even if they could, they rely on a constant stream of semi-spoilers to keep their readership constant.

The public, of course, are probably the least restricted, bar a few who will also have to sign non-disclosures. Problem here is that most people will only see a snippet of filming and either not know how far through the series it is or forget who they've seen by the time it airs. There are plenty of rumours floating around, some probably based on filming people have seen, but trying to find that amongst all the rumours makes the public probably the least reliable source of the lot.

Legally not allowed to disclose I would think. Got to be a gagging clause on the candidates and production teams.

Someone said that the media are given previews but the boardroom bit is cut off so as not to spoil it.

When Alan Sugar blew out the candles on his 86th birthday cake, he wished for an apprentice. He couldn't tell anyone or his wish wouldn't come true.....

.......and legal inability to disclose, prevents others from blabbing, I suspect.

Judging by the existence of a spoiler thread, it doesn't

I think the glagging clauses have got stricter this series.

Magazines like Heat, and TV guides like TV Times used to refer to candidates by name in their synopsis' for the following weeks episode, even stating the previous week's firing in some cases. (i.e Their issue for the following week came out before that week's episode had aired)

I've only seen it happen once this series, when TV Times said that Lucinda and Jenny C clashed in Week 2 - before Week 1 had aired. But since, there's now no mention of candidates names in episode synopsis.

I didn;t know that they both worked for him for a few months before he decided. Makes sense i suppose thwen he knows he is choosing the best candidate - makes a mockery of the final task though i suppose if he has already made his decision.

Thanks a lot for the info. Can't wait for tonights episode.