Yahoo News Has Lord Sugar completely given up on The Apprentice?
After the latest episode of The Apprentice, a rush of viewers took to Twitter to suggest the show's become nothing more than a parody – and we hate to say that we kind of agree with them. While we've seen an array of business hopefuls get sent packing from Lord Sugar's boardroom for a variety of reasons since 2005, guiltily loving every second, there's no denying the show has changed dramatically since it started out 12 years ago.
Hard to believe for some, but The Apprentice used to be a legitimately serious business programme, where the eventual winner would go on to be hired into a lucrative position within Sugar's multi-million-pound company. Sure, there has always been the odd joke candidate thrown in to entertain viewers, but mixed among them were hard-working, talented contestants that you could see deserved to be hired by the big boss himself.
But things have really taken a turn in recent years, and it feels as if producers have become more concerned with the entertainment factor, and far less with the business bit. While this may be great in the short term for viewers watching at home, this transition has slowly picked away at the legitimacy of the show's concept.
In a matter of years we've gone from competent candidates like Stella English and Ruth Badger, who both had a genuine eye for business, to the likes of Karthick "If I wanted to be like everyone else, I'd wax my mono-brow" Nagesan. It hit a low point last year when lovably ditzy Jessica Cunningham emerged as one of the favourites, despite the fact she infamously turned up to a jean fashion shoot without jeans in Week Two.
To make matters worse, we're 10 weeks into the current series, and we're yet to see a viable winner. Instead we've reached a stage where Elizabeth, who would have been nothing more than comedy gold just a few series ago and likely gone by Week Three, has become arguably the most likely winner. That's right – Elizabeth, the bumbling, self-confessed control freak whose cooking presentation in the last task stands as one of the most cringe-worthy moments in the show's history, is now our likely winner.
A woman of the people? Sure, we'll give her that – it's good to see someone thrive whose tie isn't done up to 11. But a potential captain of industry? Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford would have had absolutely none of it.
Tasks in recent years have also become increasingly more zany and off the wall, to the point where barely any of them actually require any kind of skill that the candidates might use when going into business with m'Lord. Did they really chuck in their jobs to go into the lucrative market of picking up dog poo?
Instead, these almost I'm a Celebrity trials are designed to create tension and cause drama among the group. It says a lot when Jade English and Joanna Jarjue, who notoriously and quite obviously loathe each other, were stuck together for practically every task. Could it be that producers know their sniping makes good TV?
To be fair, we have zero complaints with watching big characters make fools of themselves in ridiculous tasks. But it's time the broadcaster acknowledges this notable shift in tone, and stops peddling the idea that the series is still something to be taken seriously. Either embrace the chaos, or cut it out.
It's hammered into us every episode that Lord Sugar is searching for a legitimate business partner, and the man himself constantly reminds the candidates that it's a "once in a lifetime" opportunity. But then minutes later we see the likes of James White parading around in his pants, and we're left wondering what the hell is going on. The reality is that most winners of the show have gone on to either be fired, leave their position within a couple of years, or end up not even working with Lord Sugar at all.
When it was obvious the formula wasn't working out behind the scenes, the prize was changed from a job within Sugar's company to a £250,000 investment in a pre-viewed business plan. This became the crucial turning point for the series, which from then on has slowly descended into farce, it gave producers free rein when they realised Lord Sugar can now effectively wash his hands of the winner once the final episode has aired.
What price that they know the two business plans they want in the final from day one and the rest of the candidates are simply there to amuse and be humiliated for weeks on end?
When you're advertising yourself as a hard-hitting business series but the majority of candidates go on to end up on rival reality shows, you know there's been crossed wires somewhere. Let's all just face it, business acumen doesn't matter now, as long as the candidates are personable and can get the right judgemental expression out of Karren Brady.
Which is fine, we still love tuning in every week, but stop with the charade. It's time producers were honest with viewers and admit what the show really is – Survivor in suits.
The Apprentice continues on BBC One on Wednesday, December 13 at 9pm.
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