The Apprentice (UK series two)

The Apprentice UK
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Series Two

Series Two of The Apprentice (UK), a British reality television series, was broadcast in the UK during 2006, from 22 February to 10 May on BBC Two. Following the success of the previous series leading to the BBC commissioning additional episodes of the programme, the broadcaster also commissioned the creation of a new companion discussion program, entitled The Apprentice: You're Fired!, to be aired on BBC Three alongside the series' broadcast. Along with its twelve episodes, the series' premiere was preceded with a special, entitled "Tim in the Firing Line", aired on 19 February 2006.

Fourteen candidates took part in the second series, with Michelle Dewberry becoming the overall winner. Excluding the special, the series averaged around 4.43 million viewers during its broadcast.

Series Overview

Following the success of the first series, the BBC decided to commission additional episodes of The Apprentice, with Alan Sugar opting to returning to front and aid in production of the programme. Alongside Sugar, Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford returned to resume their roles from the previous series. Paul Kemsley, Claude Littner, and Bordan Tkachuk also returned to assume their roles for the programme's Interviews stage, though with both Hewer and Mountford not being a part of the interviewing panel; they would still provide feedback on the semi-finalists, but from observations on previous tasks. Along with new episodes, the broadcaster also ordered for the creation of a companion discussion show to be aired on BBC Three. Given the title of The Apprentice: You're Fired!, the show was aimed at operating within a similar format to spin-off sister shows like Big Brother's Little Brother and Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two,[1] with the search for a host culminating in chief football presenter Adrian Chiles being offered the role; his acceptance was revealed prior to the premiere of The Apprentice's second series.

As with the first series, production staff and researchers went through applications made by those who sought to participate in the programme, until around fourteen candidates, consisting of the same balanced mix of genders, were informed that they had landed a place in the final line-up for the second series. In the first task, the men named their team Invicta, while the women named their team Velocity. Like the previous series, the candidates faced a charity-based task, which this time featured a reward before its use was discontinued in future episodes. The second series is the first in the show's history to feature the iconic sequence involving the winner entering Sugar's personal Rolls Royce and being driven away, while giving a brief interview on their success, a sequence that was created to emphasise their victory on the programme as the overall winner. Of those who took part, Michelle Dewberry would become the eventual winner of this series,[2] and go on to briefly take up a post under Sugar following its conclusion, leaving in September 2006 following a series of personal problems.[3][4][5]

Throughout its filming, prior to it being edited and prepared for broadcast, Sugar voiced issues to the production staff with the programme's format at the time - due to the number of candidates taking part against the number of episodes for the series, he was not allowed to fire more than one candidate in any task prior to the Interviews stage, despite the fact that two of the tasks featured outcomes where he felt more than one candidate deserved to be fired by him. Staff eventually reviewed the format after the production and broadcast of the second series, which led to eventual changes when work began on the third series.

Candidates

Candidate Background Age Result
Michelle Dewberry Telecoms Consultant 26 Winner
Ruth Badger Sales Manager 27 Runner-up
Ansell Henry Sales Manager 34 Fired after Interviews stage
Paul Tulip Headhunter 26 Fired after Interviews stage
Syed Ahmed Entrepreneur 31 Fired after tenth task
Tuan Le Financial Adviser 27 Fired after ninth task
Sharon McAllister Business Lecturer 30 Fired after eighth task
Samuel Judah Product Developer 35 Fired after seventh task
Jo Cameron Human Resources Manager 35 Fired after sixth task
Mani Sandher Management Consultant 39 Fired after fifth task
Alexa Tilley Management Consultant 28 Fired after fourth task
Karen Bremner Lawyer 34 Fired after third task
Nargis Ara PhD Student 38 Fired after second task
Ben Stanberry IT Consultant 33 Fired after first task

Performance chart

Candidate Task Number
123456789101112
Michelle ININININININLOSEINWINININWINNER
Ruth ININININLOSEINBRWINBRBRINRUNNER-UP
Ansell INININININLOSEININININFIRED
Paul ININININWINININININWINFIRED
Syed BRINWINBRINININLOSEBRFIRED
Tuan INININBRININWINBRFIRED
Sharon INININININWININFIRED
Samuel BRWININININBRFIRED
Jo INBRLOSEINBRFIRED
Mani INININWINFIRED
Alexa ININBRFIRED
Karen WINBRFIRED
Nargis INFIRED
Ben FIRED

Key:

     The candidate won this series of The Apprentice.
     The candidate was the runner-up.
     The candidate won as project manager on his/her team, for this task.
     The candidate lost as project manager on his/her team, for this task.
     The candidate was on the winning team for this task / they passed the Interviews stage.
     The candidate was on the losing team for this task.
     The candidate was brought to the final boardroom for this task.
     The candidate was fired in this task.
     The candidate lost as project manager for this task and was fired.

Episodes

No.
overall		No. in
series		Title Original air dateUK viewers
(millions) [6]
151"Fruit and Veg"[7]22 February 2006 (2006-02-22)3.65
Sir Alan Sugar begins a new search for an apprentice, with the winner receiving a new job with him for a six-figure salary. A new batch of fourteen candidates soon arrive to take on his various tasks, beginning with the job of buying up fruit and vegetables and then selling it for a profit around Hackney. With a small budget to work on, the winning team will need to know their apples from their onions to win, and avoid someone becoming the first to be fired.
162"Calendar Club"[8]1 March 2006 (2006-03-01)3.51
For their next task, the candidates take on the job of raising money for Great Ormond Street Hospital, by designing a themed calendar and pitching it to retailers. With their creative skills and sales pitching put to the test, its long before one team's design fails to impress. For them, they can expect no charity when Sir Alan sees them in the boardroom.
173"Buying the Tyre"[9]8 March 2006 (2006-03-08)4.20
Sir Alan has a new shopping list for his candidates, and gives each £1,000 to get a list of ten items for the best price. As both teams negotiate for the best deal, one team thinks that shopping around will help, while the other team believe in coming up with a solid buying strategy to secure a win. When it comes to tallying up the costs and fines, one team will soon find out if their decision leads them to victory, or lands them in the boardroom bargain bin.
184"A Hundred Chickens"[10]15 March 2006 (2006-03-15)4.11
Both teams find themselves cooking up a tasty treat for visitors to the Thames Festival, where only the best profit will win. One team opts to cook up noodles for hungry punters, while the other team look towards serving up pizza. For the losing team, disaster abounds from disorganisation and a mistake over how much ingredients to get, will lead someone being kicked out of Sir Alan's boardroom kitchen.
195"The Amsair Card"[11]22 March 2006 (2006-03-22)4.03
Sir Alan has developed a new venture for business flights - the Amsair Card. To promote it, the remaining ten candidates must come up with their own promo video and billboard advert at London Stansted Airport, with help from an advertising agency. As the teams face issues with their concepts, from scheduling delays and a failure to understand the key point of the card, only one promotional campaign will impress Sir Alan and take off from the boardroom.
206"Second-Hand Cars"[12]29 March 2006 (2006-03-29)4.45
The teams find their ability to sell put to the test, as they work to make commission from the sale of second-hand cars. Both teams face an uphill struggle, as one side face issues from false claims and a project manager in over their head, while the other side face difficulties selling off extras and poor salesmanship. For the losing team, no begging will save them when Sir Alan decides their performance is second-hand to what he prefers.
217"Selling in Topshop"[13]5 April 2006 (2006-04-05)4.26
Selling a new line of clothing in Topshop is the order of business for the teams' next task. As the teams work to entice customers from the street and towards buying what they stock, one team make a series of mistakes that will only lead one member to being discarded by Sir Alan onto the boardroom clothes pile.
228"Selling to the Trade"[14]12 April 2006 (2006-04-12)4.58

The remaining seven candidates find themselves looking for an innovative product that could do well with retailers when they pitch it to them. While one team look towards putting their products through contacting potential customers, the other team ignore advice to see if a major retailer chain would like what they're offering. For the losing team, their decision will prove costly when they meet with Sir Alan in the boardroom.

Note: A segment recorded for this episode was later cut from it in the final edit.[15]
239"Property Sales"[16]19 April 2006 (2006-04-19)4.76
Entering the rental market, the two teams face the challenge of closing deals on properties across London if they seek to make a commission from the sale. One team shows just how popular they are with their clients, while the other struggle as mistakes are made in the process. For one member, their business skills on this task will determine if they survive, or look set to be the next one that Sir Alan fires..
2410"Moet & Chandon"[17]26 April 2006 (2006-04-26)4.68
The candidates head out on a cruise aboard the Grand Princess, but its all business as they attempt to devise a new passenger service while the cruise liner is travelling from Istanbul to Naples. Faced with not only making good sales, but also providing customer satisfaction, one team sees if having fun above-deck will net a win, while the other team look towards promoting dancing and a competition with a cash prize. For one team, a poor score will leave one member at the next dock for SS.Boardroom.
2511"Interviews"[18]3 May 2006 (2006-05-03)4.98
Four candidates are left, and now they find themselves each proving they have what it takes to be Sir Alan's next apprentice, as they undergo a gruelling interview process from three of his closest business associates. Revelations abound, as each candidate's work experience, background, and personalities are checked, double-checked, and questioned, before it is left to Sir Alan to determine from the feedback he gets, which two candidates will win a place in the final.
2612"The Final"[19]10 May 2006 (2006-05-10)5.95
For the two finalists, one challenge stands between them and the job offered by Sir Alan - to host an evening event at London's Tower Bridge, coming up with their own theme for it. With help from old friends, each finalist look towards providing an original event and securing good ticket sales. With their future boss watching proceedings, only one will impress him enough to become his new apprentice for 2006.

Criticism

Portrayal of Mani Sandher claim

In 2007, a year after the second series had been aired, candidate Mani Sandher filed a complaint against the BBC. In his complaint, he criticised the broadcaster for allowing episodes to be edited in a manner that portrayed him unfairly on The Apprentice. The BBC Trust later rejected the complaint after conducting an investigation, citing that: the show's editing had been acceptable and within the boundaries of broadcasting codes to ensure it did not mislead audiences; Sandher's performance in the series' fifth task had been "fairly reflected"; and that Sandher was aware that the show was subject to editing by its production team. Sandher later appealed against the Trust's rejection of his complaint, stating he had further evidence to back up his claim, but this was dismissed by the Editorial Complaints Unit.[20]

Ratings

Official episode viewing figures are from BARB.[6]

Episode
no.		AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking
122 February 20063.652
21 March 20063.512
38 March 20064.201
415 March 20064.111
522 March 20064.032
629 March 20064.451
75 April 20064.261
812 April 20064.581
919 April 20064.761
1026 April 20064.681
113 May 20064.981
1210 May 20065.951

Specials

AirdateViewers
(millions)		BBC Two
weekly ranking
Tim in the Firing Line
19 February 20062.2625

References

  1. ↑ "Spinoff show planned for next UK 'Apprentice'". Digitalspy.co.uk. 10 December 2005. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
  2. ↑ "Ex-cashier wins TV's Apprentice". BBC News. 10 May 2006. Retrieved 11 May 2006.
  3. ↑ "Apprentice winner quits prize job". BBC News. 24 September 2006. Retrieved 28 September 2006.
  4. ↑ Taylor, Matthew (2 October 2006). "Four months after Sir Alan said: 'You're hired', Apprentice star tells him: 'I'm off'". The Guardian. London.
  5. ↑ "Apprentice winners through the years – and where they are now". Daily Star. 1 October 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
  6. 1 2 "Weekly Top 30 Programmes". Broadcasters' Audience Research Board. Retrieved 16 September 2015.
  7. ↑ "Episode 1, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  8. ↑ "Episode 2, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  9. ↑ "Episode 3, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  10. ↑ "Episode 4, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  11. ↑ "Episode 5, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  12. ↑ "Episode 6, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  13. ↑ "Episode 7, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  14. ↑ "Episode 8, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  15. ↑ Teeman, Tim (10 May 2006). "There's only one Apprentice". London: The Times Online. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
  16. ↑ "Episode 9, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  17. ↑ "Episode 10, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  18. ↑ "Episode 11, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  19. ↑ "The Final, Series 2, The Apprentice - BBC One".
  20. ↑ "Apprentice hopeful's claim rejected". BBC. 21 June 2007. Retrieved 21 June 2007.
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