ok im a masive fan and dread when it finishes i just love it and wednesdays just wont be the same, but,,,, who is going to win i just got no idea i just hope alex doesnt, what a snake,,,

I love it too, this is the first series i have really got into - Claire to win.  Don't think i could cope working with any of them but think Alan has a wee soft spot for her.  I love watching the 'your fired' series that is on bbc2 after it too.

I couldn't believe when they were talking about salaries on last weeks and Lucinda is on over £100k and Claire clears that with her bonus.  Every week I watch the show thinking they are a bunch of muppets.  Do you know if the previous series are shown on any of the cable channels?

Yeah i watch it too,  i thought Alex was gonna win, not sure now.... :)
I was cringing at those interviews, really good though :)

I think Clare will win. Suralan seems to have a soft spot for her! :) She aint half got a gob on her though! lol.

I hope Claire gets it but I have an awful feeling that Alex may just sneak in there because he is only 23 you know :-D :-D . Its hard to believe that some of them have a job far less earn 100K :-o

Alex is a snake but he's a fit snake! He really annoyed me going on about this age blah blah! I think Lee had a good chance before making that error with his CV (lesson learnt by me there, don't lie on a CV you will get caught out!), I think maybe Helene or Claire, although Karen Brady said she would hire Claire if Alan doesn't so she's a winner either way!

Does anyone know what the previous apprentices are doing? Do they still work for Alan Sugar?

Alex..........Backstabber
Helene.......Know it all
Lea...........Liar
Clare.........To WIN!

as for the taradactal (spell) impression i thought it hilarious how he caught him out!

I  love it too I think Clare will win .

fascinating to think that these people are relatively stupid when you think of the tasks and how simple they were but they botched them up no common sense at all , they said Clare is earning £85,000 a year already makes you wonder how!!!

Well as a friend of Alex I'm backing him!!

I adore the Apprentice.  I have watched every episode in all the series.  Last week's episode was a classic. I recorded it so I can watch it again.  I love the way Sir Alan's cronies lull them into a false sense of security and then make them look like pratts.  The expression on Lee's face when his pterodactyl impression went down like a lead balloon - and then the guy later admitted it was very good in the boardroom!  I like the bit when the same guy (Paul?) winked at siralan on the way out and he told him where to go.  They are all clearly good friends, and it's nice to see the softer, jokier side of Alan Sugar.

That said, I'd like Lee to win because he seems to have put the most effort into all the tasks, without upsetting too many people - and that can't be said for the others.

Can't wait to see Rafe back in the final episode.

Logan, I hope you are not one of the friends he talked about when he reckoned he was the brightest and most highest achiever on his 'market survey' of people he knows.

I am just surprised to hear that Alex has any friends................ :)

Alan Sugar my hero!!!

I hope not too!
He is such a nice person and I am surprise that he is coming across so badly.  I thought he did do terribly in his interview but apart from that don't think he has been bad.  I'm sure it is down to a lot of clever editing.  To be honest none of use ever expected him to get past the first few weeks, so for him to be in the final is a huge shock!!

Claire
In all honesty I think Claire should win, she has an air of authority but is very likeable, someone you would like to work with, she comes across as trustworthy and loyal, I could work with her perhaps I may need to tape up her mouth occassionally but she is someone that will listen to criticism without getting aggressive, which I feel is very important in business.  I love the quote from the paper that whilst out a member of the public called her a 'fat cow' and she just carried on as though it had never been said. You need to be tough like that in business.

Alex
Alex was my favourite at the start, he is a good solid worker, thinks for himself, friendly and approachable, he is not as worldly as Claire though, he does get quite defensive and is quick to protect himself by attacking others but not dishonest though, my only worry as a boss working with Alex though is he may get a bit above himself, that again is to do with age.  But I think he would be the type to cut someones throat to get on if they were to make a mistake, may not be as loyal as Claire would be and more likely to be enticed away from a job with a better offer, he may just use Sir Alan as a stepping stone, if I were taking on an apprentice training them up for my company, I would not choose the Alex's of this world I'm afraid.

Lee
Good dependable, steady worker, just lacking on the personality a bit, but he would be loyal and work hard, yes,  he boobed on the application form, just wants to be more than he is, not a crime just wishful thinking. I wouldn't write him off, I think he would be an assett to any company.

Helene
Ummmmmmm..... not sure, I think she is a good worker, when she speaks I am very impressed with her she comes across as very competant, but is just in the background in tasks, doesn't stand out at all, I can see why Sir Alan is confused by her, I still am. :-D

It will I guess depend on the two who wins the task though, that is perhaps going to give us two finalists we did not expect.

I have only watched the last two apprentices, but on both previous occassions Sir Alan has written off the applicants I have seen as more capable and gone for the greener of the pair, due to that I think he will employ Alex if his team win the task, so you may get to have a celebrationary drink logan. :-D

Nope - it will be Claire! I'm sure. 

Ah, ha, nod, nod, wink, wink. :-)

I have no idea who wins honsestly!!  I've received emails from him about it but he's not allowed to give anything away.  I read too much into an email the other week thinking he was going to be fired but he wasn't.  So I am in the dark, but just think Sir Alan really likes Claire and I will be surprised if she doesn't win!  

Dont they film a couple of endings and nobody knows who wins until just before the programme start?

I can't see how they can "film a couple of endings", it is , after all, non-fiction!  :)  :)

I think it has already ended, just sworn to secrecy. :-)

I thought last year but I could be wrong that was what they said they did to keep it absolutely secret I suppose bitter losers?  I know when Christine went in she was not happy and I am sure she went to the press moaning about not finding out until the end.  Mind you a year is a long time.  I know the last episode has been done but I am pretty sure that in the last episode they do all the arguements then he says your Hire to each of them then shows the same to the other one and virtually a couple of hourse before the final show they actually say which one is hired otherwise surely people would find out as they would be working with the people who were fired? 

I have watched every series I love it.  :)

I seem to remember they did this in previous series too.

I know one of the blokes who was fired quite early on.  On the pub food task (I think) got in trouble because he had been on a local radio station as a new presenter for weeks - making it pretty obvious he's not won!

I heard that they finished filming this just after Christmas, maybe wrong, I think Claire will win.

Well none of us predicted that did we?!  Lee is the winner! 
What a lovely man he seems, really pleased for him - if Alex couldn't win I wanted it to be him.

i was right with my husband,lee to win,

glad the one who looked like miss piggy didnt win... with her permanent smirk :(

Can you imagine working with either of those last two women. "It was not me it was them" was all Helen said. Talk about back stabbing. I apologise in advance for my sexist comment, but please give me a male boss any day I know where I stand. I can not deal with my own gender.

I agree with you Logan, Lee does seem like a nice genuine bloke, I was a bit choked for him when he won, it will certainly change his life! I'm fairly confident Claire & Alex will all get really good jobs out of this whole experience too! I wish them all the luck in the world!

I agree about the last two women....what a load of negativity and blaming of others they did. Didnt want to take responsibility for their own weaknesses.....driving round for 5 hours thinking up a name, and then being LATE for their meeting? Do they have no concept of what that makes them look like? I am sure potential future employers would frown on that.

Yes i think the right person got it in the end, even though my opinions have changed all through the series, but i am glad clare didn't get it :)

Shock horror, well done to those who had Lee as the winner.

He's a good lad, he'll do well, but I do find him a little boring.

I wonder if Claire will take up the offer from Essex County Council as they have promised the runner up a job there. :-D

I don't think he should have won.  Claire was a gobby cow but what a message to send out - if you want to succeed lie on your cv, make a show of yourself in interviews and be an arrogant git.  In many workplaces if you get found out for lying on your cv you can be sacked yet Lee got a £100K job out of it!  Where is the justice?