Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
I’m like a cash machine.. push my buttons and I give you cash
..and more such guff from this year’s Apprentice hopefuls
A WOLF of Wall Street wannabe, an out-of-work film extra desperate for an Oscar and the “Beyonce of business” are among the line-up in the new series of The Apprentice.
And the 16 contestants vying to be Lord Sugar’s new business partner seem to have more confidence than ever.
IT consultant Alex Finn, 21, from The Wirral, Merseyside, promises: “I’m like a cash machine – if you push the right buttons, I will give you money”.
Tax adviser David Alden, 32, from East Yorkshire, says pals call him “the Duracell bunny” as he “takes on so much and never stops”.
He says: “I might look like your business cuddly bear, but if you cross me I’ll knock your stuffing out.”
Londoner Daniel Elahi, 28, who set up a lifestyle website, likens himself to “Wolf of Wall Street” fraudster Jordan Belfort. He says: “They say money can’t buy happiness. But I’d rather be crying in a sports car than a banger.” Professional speaker Kayode Damali, 26, boasts that he has “a smile that controls the national grid”. He says: “I’m not anyone, I’m Kayode Damali. If you’re not your own biggest fan, who do you expect to be it for you?”
London law graduate, and out-of-work extra, Kurran Pooni, 22, is hoping to secure the £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar before winning an Oscar. On the girls’ team, Leeds-born swimwear company owner Sian Gabbidon, 25, says: “I am the Beyonce of business.” Eco-company owner Khadija Kalifa, 26, of Lincolnshire, says: “Whatever I say I’m going to make happen, happens. My daughter wants a swimming pool and I’m here to make sure that happens.”
Lawyer Sarah Ann Magson, 37, of Teesside, says: “I am used to laying down the law in the courtroom, but now I’m going to lay down the law in the boardroom.”
But the gang fail to live up to expectations in the first episode of the 14th, series, which starts on BBC1 next week.
Sent to Malta to haggle for nine items, the girls almost miss their plane and then buy the same item twice.
Told to buy “an octopus with a 40-inch hose”, the boys fail to realise it is a piece of diving equipment and measure a real octopus in a butcher’s shop.
The girls also struggle to work out how many 250g packets of salt they need to get 10kg, getting it wrong by 20 packets. The boys are proud to get a discount of one cent.
But Lord Sugar insisted his hopefuls were not stupid. He said: “When the people try to fight for their position in the early stages, they sometimes say stuff a bit daft, but they are not really.”
His assistant Claude Littner said: “Not one of them is stupid. They are all working very, very hard.”
Karren Brady was not so diplomatic: “They’re not all stupid – but they do do some stupid things.”
When people try to fight for position in the early stages they say stuff a bit daft LORD ALAN SUGAR JUDGE ON THE APPRENTICE