Sugar makes shock 'Apprentice' firing

[dutchman]

Lord Alan Sugar fired investment banker Liz Locke in a surprise twist to tonight's Apprentice episode.



The 24-year-old had previously impressed on the show, racking up record-breaking sales and earning praise from Sugar's aide Nick Hewer. However, after ending up on the losing side in this week's London tour bus task, she got axed from the competition.

The other remaining contestants were shocked to see Stuart Baggs survive the boardroom showdown after he project managed the losing team Apollo, who only racked up a disappointing £834.30 of sales.

Sugar looked certain to fire Baggs, describing him as "childish, immature" and a "loose cannon". However, a passionate plea from the 21-year-old about his work ethic appeared to win over the millionaire.

"If I worked for you it's not going to be 9 to 5, and I know some people think that, I'll be in the office on weekends, even on Sunday, I’ll work for you 24/7," said Baggs.

"I'm not a one-trick pony, I’m not a ten-trick pony, I’ve got a field of ponies waiting to, literally, run towards this."

Making his final decision, Sugar revealed that he hadn't seen enough special qualities in Locke to keep her in the competition for another round.

"Liz, you're a good presenter, you work very, very, very hard, no question of that and I know you've consistently done well on sales throughout the course of the process," he said.

"I'm looking for something very special and there are so many good sales people, so many good talkers. What I need is a different type of person, someone very unusual to find me something new, come up with some ideas and, as nutty as it sounds, what Stuart said makes more sense to me.

"So as hard as you work and as hard as you have worked, I'm going to let you go. Liz, you're fired."

Speaking afterwards, a tearful Locke said: “I’m absolutely devastated. I put my heart and soul into every stage of this process and I really do think I delivered. Stuart may be the next Lord Sugar, we’ll have to wait and see, but I’ll show Lord Sugar, he might be knocking on my door in a few years to come.”

The Apprentice semi-final airs next week at 9pm on BBC One.