The beginning of March 2005 saw one of the best programs to ever air on English TV. The Apprentice.
This English remake of the hit American series sees millionaire entrepreneur Sir Alan Sugar search through 12 young hopefuls to find his apprentice - the award being a 6 figure salary and the chance to work with him.
The hopefuls range, some high flying university graduates to some who never attended school - all going for the same job.
To enable Sir Alan Sugar to pick his apprentice he splits these hopefuls into 2 teams (originally boys and girls) and then sets them tasks - these tasks can be anything from; Selling flowers on Londons Streets, to holding top celebrity auctions, creating advertising campaigns and let us not forget creating a brand new toy for the market - the episode and "secret signals" still haunts me!
Every week the loosing team has Sir Alan Sugar fire the person who performed least in the task - and in the board room looks them in the face and says "You're Fired!"
The series is a brilliant piece of television. It has everything TV needs, suspense, drama, laughter and bitchiness. They all soon learn a big part of this show is not learning how to cope with the challenges but learning to cope with each over.
Overall an amazing, brilliant piece of television. The sort of television that has you an inch away from your screen for the whole hour shouting at the screen as the hopefuls stab their team mates in the back, lie and stitch each over up - all to get in that position of being an apprentice.
Broadcast on BBC2, the 12 60 minute episodes all offered superb entertainment and left the audience not wanting to blink at any stage during the program!
A brilliant piece of television, fingers crossed for a DVD release and 2nd series!
"YOU'RE FIRED!"
