I didn’t watch The Apprentice last year – It had turned into Eastenders in business suits and a “who could be the most annoying” competition.

However, this year I have – partly because Suralan had said he didn’t want it turning into any more of a circus than it was.

So the candidates were one short to start off and I would be interested in why the makers didn’t have a ready made sub to just slot in.

Anyway, the task was straight forward enough – to clean things – anything, cars,shoes, houses, windows. Starting with a kitty of up to £200 and a white van.

It is very difficult to work out what actually happens when 10 hours is condensed into 20 minutes but it did seem that as usual, there was a lot of shouting and macho posturing (even from the ladies team) and not a lot of doing.

The breath taking cheek of these people staggers me sometimes. (no, it’s not business acumen when somebody points out a number of problems with your work and you can’t have the rest of the deal – and you instantly reply “so just pay us for what we have done then.”)

Both sides saw cleaning cars (badly) as the main business function but neither seemed to have ANY sort of quality control or checks and measures to keep the client happy (and as a side effect keep the cash rolling in…)

And not having a clue WHY you were spending money on things (or how they actually worked) seemed equally dumb.

Hindsight is seldom wrong but the task would to me appear, really simple.

1. WHAT are you going to clean?

2. How MANY are you going to clean in the time limit?

3. How LONG will it take to do ONE?

4. What tools & equipment are needed to do item 2 multiplied by item 3?

The poor girl who did get fired seemed to be the one who just got on with what she was asked and not question anything. One thing is for certain though Suralan does get rid of the non sales people one by one – he seems to have started earlier this year though..