'The Apprentice' Episode 5 Review - Fired Candidate Jemma Bird Claims She Was Scapegoat For James Hill
'I Was Scapegoat For James,' Claims This Week's Firing
Caroline Frost— The Huffington Post UK
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This week's fired 'Apprentice' candidate Jemma Bird claims she should never have been in the boardroom in the first place, and ended up being the scapegoat for brasher contestant James Hill.
Jemma Bird tells HuffPostUK:
"James should have been in the boardroom. He caused absolute chaos, and had a lot to answer for."
When Team Summit failed to bring in the bacon for Lord Sugar with a half-hearted coach tour package to Hever Castle in Kent, project manager Sanjay Snood-Smith opted to bring back teammates Bianca Miller and Jemma, a decision prompted by his fear of James, according to Jemma.
She says, "Sanjay knew that if he brought James back, James would put up a big fight, and it could end up with him going. Sanjay's no fool."
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Jemma Bird thinks she was an easy touch, because Sanjay was too scared to bring James back
Jemma had proved a weak link in the programme, forced to give a tour of Anne Boleyn's home, and telling some curious tourists that Boleyn and Henry VIII had "grown apart" - something Lord Sugar described as a bit of an understatement. By contrast, Tenacity team member Lauren was very impressive with her knowledge of Blenheim Castle in Oxfordshire, only learnt the evening before. Jemma admits, "Being a tour guide wasn't something I'd done before, and I doubt I'll do it again."
During this week's show, James was dismissive of Jemma's efforts, saying she wasn't hard enough for the competition, and it sounds like she agrees.
"He's very enthusiastic, passionate," she says diplomatically. "Once he has an idea, he's not going to change his mind for anything."
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Without doubt, the highlight of this week's show was Nick Hewer's contempt for this sandwich in the packed lunch provided by Team Tenacity at Blenheim
James didn't get off scott-free, however, with Lord Sugar giving him the evil stare treatment, and reminding him that, if he was on thin ice before, he's now dancing on a wafer.
And Jemma actually thinks Lord Sugar was quite kind to her, even in firing her. She explains, "I hadn't been in the final boardroom before, and he was kind. I was like a lost lamb in there."
Jemma has two favourites to win this year's competition, Roisin - "she's very intelligent, and makes her point really clearly" - and Aussie Mark - "he's very strong, whenever he has something to do, you feel like it's in safe hands with him".
Who do YOU THINK will be winning this year's Apprentice title? Here's the original 2014 lineup...
Meet The 2014 'Apprentice' Candidates
Bianca Miller(01 of20)
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In her own words: "I regret not becoming a scientist so I could clone myself and be more successful in half the time." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Mark Wright (No... Not That One)(02 of20)
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In his own words: "I’m very, very aggressive. I will not leave the room without getting a sale." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Nurun Ahmed(03 of20)
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In her own words: "I’m the type of person that doesn’t take five hours to do one job, I do 20 jobs in five hours." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Scott McCulloch(04 of20)
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In his own words: "From the minute I wake up to the minute I go to sleep, making money and conducting business is on my mind." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Jemma Bird(05 of20)
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In her own words: “I’m always the girl that nearly wins, I’m hoping this time it will be different.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Robert Goodwin(06 of20)
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In his own words: "I’m fearless, and if I don’t shut up about something, you should just trust it’s a well thought out decision." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
James Hill(07 of20)
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In his own words: "Me and Lord Sugar could build an empire together. I think I am him when he was my age." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Lauren Riley(08 of20)
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In her own words: “I’m absolutely not a shrinking violet. I’m very known for speaking my own mind.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Steven Ugoalah(09 of20)
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In his own words: "I can deliver in minus 50; I can deliver in plus 10. If we went to Mars right now, I’d find a way to be excellent." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Ella Jade Bitton(10 of20)
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In her own words: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Felipe Alviar-Baquero(11 of20)
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In his own words: “I studied law because I wanted to change the world. But my real passion is business.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Sarah Dales(12 of20)
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In her own words: "I am the pioneer and the ground breaker, and I possess all the talents to succeed." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Daniel Lassman(13 of20)
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In his own words: "I will out-sell them, I will out-class them and I will perform the best just by being me." (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Pamela Uddin(14 of20)
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In her own words: “I am street and people savvy as well as being business savvy.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Sanjay Sood-Smith(15 of20)
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In his own words: “If I had to choose between friendship and profit I’d choose profit. I’m not in this process to make friends with people, I’m here to win.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Roisin Hogan(16 of20)
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In her own words: “Manipulate, persuade and conquer. I would identify my opponent’s weaknesses and pick them off one by one.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Solomon Akhtar(17 of20)
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In his own words: “I am from the ‘ideas generation’; because of my age I understand technology and how to turn it into a business.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Lindsay Booth(18 of20)
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In her own words: “The other candidates will underestimate how feisty I am, and how I will fight and prove that I can get to the end.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Chiles Cartwright(19 of20)
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In his own words: “I consider myself one of the most credible candidates in this process. I don’t believe that anyone has the wealth and breadth of business acumen that I’ve gained over the years.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)
Katie Bulmer-Cooke(20 of20)
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In her own words: “In business I’m like a little stealth bomber that flies under the radar and smashes the competition before they’ve even realised I’m here.” (credit:BBC/Boundless/Jim Marks Photography)