The Apprentice

[DjSatansfur3h]

I grew up on a council estate. Didn't feel deprived of anything and it never held me back from University and a good career. It's so snobbish to assume all council estates lead to a tough, miserable life

It isn't like that makes much of a difference. When I look at successful people, they come from all types of backgrounds. I think that the secret is to stop looking at the past and using it as an excuse, but discover what you can do. I've never used my past as an automatic entitlement for a medal, and nobody knows what it consisted of except those who were either involved, or those who saw. Not using it doesn't entitle you to a medal either! I think it's a matter of earning from yourself, for yourself.

This whole council estate thing puts her in the different crowd, as if to say that she had to try harder than others to succeed because she started further back. I don't think it works like that at all.

As someone who grew up and still lives on one, as I pointed out to my lass quite often (as it is today) often those who were on benefits had the easier ride. Free school meals, help with uniform, no rent or council tax, etc etc etc. Single parents who actually went out to work, end up getting the end of the shitty stick, as they get next to bugger all help at all.

Of course that doesnt take away from Natasha working to pay for her own school uniform and the like.

[El Pibe]

Just watched it. Shocked both Tom and Helen thought Columbus was British!

[toythatkills]

Just watched it. Shocked both Tom and Helen thought Columbus was British!

To be honest, I didn't know he wasn't British. I wouldn't have assumed that he was but I didn't know otherwise. Just not a piece of information I've ever needed to know in my life so it wasn't there.

[Hawkeye]

To be honest, I didn't know he wasn't British. I wouldn't have assumed that he was but I didn't know otherwise. Just not a piece of information I've ever needed to know in my life so it wasn't there.

What! Not only is it poor education, but even worse it lacks a basic knowledge of The Sopranos.

[toythatkills]

What! Not only is it poor education, but even worse it lacks a basic knowledge of The Sopranos.

Is it really poor education not to know a fact about an explorer which really has no impact on my life at all? Were you taught every single fact about everything in the world?

I only caught bits of the Sopranos on TV, and the boxset has always been out of my price range

[Paulando]

Really gutted this is ending on the interviews, without a final head-to-head task. I know that was largely pointless, and had little bearing on who actually won the show, but it was fun seeing everyone back on there for one final task. Both teams always seemed to do really well too, so it was a great showcase of the finalists' talents.

[son_of_helvetica]

Really gutted this is ending on the interviews, without a final head-to-head task. I know that was largely pointless, and had little bearing on who actually won the show, but it was fun seeing everyone back on there for one final task. Both teams always seemed to do really well too, so it was a great showcase of the finalists' talents.

Me too, I think it's unavoidable though given that the format of the show has changed into Sugar looking for a business partner.

[Hexx]

Tbh the last (as in 2 days ago task) was pretty big in terms of scale/scope - and felt a little bit like an "end of show" task.

The "style" of inviting lots of industry experts in to judge (e.g. they 've had drinks and perfumes before) matches as well.

[El Pibe]

Isn't Natasha from Taunton or does she just live there now? If you have to grow up on a council estate somewhere, then Taunton would be a good place to do it. Even the worst schools in Taunton are pretty bloody good!

[DjSatansfur3h]

I might be being a bit thick here, but er....

Isnt it obvious who wins in the next episode from the position the candidates are seated in the end of show highlights, and the direction Alan Sugar points when saying "You're fired"? Because based on this my predictions havent been wrong yet, and im hoping I havent already sussed out the final (and its just misdirection or something)

[toythatkills]

I might be being a bit thick here, but er....

Isnt it obvious who wins in the next episode from the position the candidates are seated in the end of show highlights, and the direction Alan Sugar points when saying "You're fired"? Because based on this my predictions havent been wrong yet, and im hoping I havent already sussed out the final (and its just misdirection or something)

People have been saying that for years, though not with any degree of accuracy.

Solution: don't watch that bit.

[Art Vandelay]

Are we sure there's no final task? How are they going to fill two hours with just the interviews? Or is there going to be an hour long summary of the series of something?

[toythatkills]

Yeah, that.

There won't be a final task but there'll definitely be a "six months later" programme that looks at the set-up of the new business and where it is now and how it's doing, etc.

[Fry Crayola]

Are we sure there's no final task? How are they going to fill two hours with just the interviews? Or is there going to be an hour long summary of the series of something?

The show's an hour, then You're Fired is an hour after it but as part of the show where they have a natter with Sugarman and the four contestants. Just like last year.

[El Pibe]

Is it really poor education not to know a fact about an explorer which really has no impact on my life at all? Were you taught every single fact about everything in the world?

I only caught bits of the Sopranos on TV, and the boxset has always been out of my price range

I think it's quite a surprising thing to not know, just because the discovery of the New World is such a hugely important event in history.

[Smoothy]

The show's an hour, then You're Fired is an hour after it but as part of the show where they have a natter with Sugarman and the four contestants. Just like last year.

Ype, I'm sure nearly every final (if not all) have been the same.

[sprite]

I think it's quite a surprising thing to not know, just because the discovery of the New World is such a hugely important event in history.

Along with millions of others. That's the trouble with history, it's so vast there will always be something important that is missed, especially if you haven't studied history since you were 14. Even then, secondary school history covered eras and more vague, 'boring' things when I was there. I would've stuck with it if it were more exciting tales of adventure like the discovering an entire continent - that was the sort of stuff we did in primary school though.

I did cringe when they got Drake's name wrong, but to be fair I think that's more because I'm obsessed with Uncharted

Some people place more value on the knowledge they have than other knowledge, too. My dad was absolutely astounded that none of them could speak French for the Paris task for example because it's his second language, "don't they teach it in schools nowadays!", but of course odds are they studied Spanish or German instead.

[El Pibe]

Along with millions of others. That's the trouble with history, it's so vast there will always be something important that is missed, especially if you haven't studied history since you were 14. Even then, secondary school history covered eras and more vague, 'boring' things when I was there. I would've stuck with it if it were more exciting tales of adventure like the discovering an entire continent - that was the sort of stuff we did in primary school though.

I did cringe when they got Drake's name wrong, but to be fair I think that's more because I'm obsessed with Uncharted

Some people place more value on the knowledge they have than other knowledge, too. My dad was absolutely astounded that none of them could speak French for the Paris task for example because it's his second language, "don't they teach it in schools nowadays!", but of course odds are they studied Spanish or German instead.

Well, I don't want to bang on about it, but I do think that the discovery of the Americas was one of the single most important events in history. Imagine how different the World could be now if it had happened earlier or later or by someone else.

I think everyone is taught French at least until GCSE time when they can change. I wasn't surprised they weren't fluent, that's fair enough, but I was surprised how unwilling they seemed to give speaking French a go. I haven't learnt French since I finished my GCSE (15 years ago!) but I'd certainly have a stab at it if I was over there.

[ZOK]

If you don't know that Columbus is American, you are a fucking idiot.

[toythatkills]

I think it's quite a surprising thing to not know, just because the discovery of the New World is such a hugely important event in history.

I dunno, just doesn't seem that unusual to me. I mean, I know who he was, I know what he did, I just didn't know he was born in Italy is all because that doesn't seem like that important a detail. Same as Tom and Helen I guess.

[sprite]

I dunno, just doesn't seem that unusual to me. I mean, I know who he was, I know what he did, I just didn't know he was born in Italy is all because that doesn't seem like that important a detail. Same as Tom and Helen I guess.

I actually thought he was Spanish, which was closer, I guess.

[verytallgirl]

Did we not all spend much of Year 5 colouring in maps of the world before and after the discovery of the Americas? And making paper mache ships and stuff? And discussing the battle for naval dominance between England and Spain?

Thinking about it, I think I spent much of Year 4 making a Viking boat. Perhaps my headmistress really, really liked seafaring nations

[toythatkills]

I spent Year 5 rebranding Smarties.

It was all a bit Apprentice, actually.

[Hawkeye]

Primary school, only history we got was the Scottish wars of independence and some stuff about Romans.

To be honest my history knowledge fails drastically as in Scotland you get nothing on the English/Spanish/French wars. Unless you're motivated to go find out about it yourself you know manes and things but not their relevance. For instance I know trafalgar square is named after a battle, but I couldn't tell you between who or about what!

[DjSatansfur3h]

Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, Tudors.

Thats what we did. We didnt do a single bit of Empire stuff the whole time at school. And I too thought he was Spanish, but thats fine. It's better than thinking he was British!

[McFly]

Isn't Natasha from Taunton or does she just live there now? If you have to grow up on a council estate somewhere, then Taunton would be a good place to do it. Even the worst schools in Taunton are pretty bloody good!

My relatives used to live there, i didnt realise they even had council estates there

[merman]

While bits of it were funny, the How To Get Hired show was basically an excuse to re-use the footage and get more viewers...

[El Pibe]

My relatives used to live there, i didnt realise they even had council estates there

I grew up there! Nice place overall.

[Wickedkitten]

I actually thought he was Spanish, which was closer, I guess.

That's understandable though, Cristoforo Colombo

[Fry Crayola]

That he died in Spain threw me. I knew he wasn't British, but that was about it.