Apprentice Series 4 Episode 4

This was Simon’s episode. It pretty much charted his downfall with the rest there as merely extras in this tragedy. Simon is what was has been referred to as a grafter but this was his chance to show Sir Alan he could be more than that, and volunteered to be project manager. The task was to set up a photography stand, taking and selling photos to the public.  The team weren’t enthusiastic about Simon taking the lead, but relented to his enthusiasm. After dividing the team in two for the separate duties, he asked Alex to be his number two on the other team. The thought of any responsability (culpability?) seemed to leave Alex reeling and Claire stepped up to the place instead. I can’t take Alex seriously anymore after he negotiated something down by half price last week and called it a “100% discount”.

Simon made a number of grandiose statements which only served to warn us he was heading for a might fall. He told us how intelligent he was. What a good photographer he was. He told the team he “knew” the people that went to Bluewater - the scene of the task - but then confused me by at one poing saying they were like “orange” footballer’s wives and then later saying they were “dowdy”.

Both teams seemed to do ok on taking the photos, and both struggled with the logistics of actually printing the (right) photos. Neither team shone, but Simon’s defeat was sign posted throughout by his authoritative statements of the ridiculous. After some cat fighting in the boardroom, through which Simon kept his dignity and probably the respect of Sir Alan, the inevitable firing was delivered.

Simon said he will probably now go back to installing satellite dishes. I hadn’t realised that was his job - does that mean they abandoned their usual claims to have the best young business people applying for the position? So Simon lost the task, but showed him self to be a thorough decent guy by the end of it.

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