The Apprentice is set to see a record-breaking win, after one team gained sponsorships valued at tens of millions of pounds for the Formula-E team challenge.
In Thursday’s episode of the BBC show, candidates will be tasked with launching a new Formula-E team before pitching to companies for sponsorship.
Multi-million pound negotiations are put in jeopardy when disastrous racing car designs and questionable branding are revealed.
But one team races ahead to the top of the podium after gaining sponsorships worth a mind-blowing amount of cash – beating the previous record sum of £1.2million on the 2015 series’ electric bike task.
The winning team’s sponsorship offer, which is the largest in the show’s 18-year history, even surprised Lord Alan Sugar himself, who was convinced it had to be a mistake.
Thursday’s episode of The Apprentice is set to see a record-breaking win, after one team gained sponsorships valued at tens of millions of pounds for the Formula-E team challenge
Candidates will be tasked with launching a new Formula-E team before pitching to companies for sponsorship
Speaking of the win, Baroness Karen Brady explained how Lord Sugar couldn’t help but be impressed by the performance.
She said: ‘[He was] thrilled. He couldn’t believe it when he saw the number.
‘He was like, “Are you sure? Has someone made a mistake? Can you double check it?” That figure in sponsorship is a huge amount!’
The winning sum is the largest amount gained by a team since one of the teams brought in £1.2million in the electric bike challenge in 2015.
The then-record-breaking total seriously impressed Lord Sugar and left the rival team – who had brought in just over £400,000 – speechless.
It comes after last week’s episode of the latest series saw a double firing, with both recruitment director Jack Davies and pharmacist and business owner Amina Khan given the boot.
During the fourth episode of the show, the group headed to Jersey, to secure and negotiate nine items synonymous to the area for the lowest price.
However, Lord Sugar was less than impressed with Jack and Amina’s efforts in the challenge and told them their ‘lack of strategy’ was their downfall.
Jack claimed he has eight years experience negotiating with clients and insisted he would be able to ‘lead his team to victory’
Amina was made sub-leader in Jack’s team and he put her in control of leading half of the group and finding half of the items
He said in the boardroom: ‘Jack, you were ultimately responsible for the strategy, and the strategy failed.
‘But, Amina, you were in charge of the sub-team’s lack of strategy and that cost the whole team big. And so, it is with regret Amina, you’re fired.
‘And Jack, I’m sorry to say, you’re also fired.’
Raj was picked as the team leader for her team as she put herself forward for the job.
Meanwhile, Jack claimed he has eight years experience negotiating with clients and insisted he would be able to ‘lead his team to victory’. He received the most votes from his team and was elected as team leader.
Both teams were given maps, local directories and a list of items associated with the area they were asked to locate and buy for the lowest price.
The list included a jersey with an emblem of an anchor, freshly shucked oysters, bachin [an antique bowl used for making Jersey butter] and a surfboard.
The teams were both given eight hours to find all of the items and deliver them back to Lord Sugar.
Both teams were given maps, local directories and a list of items associated with the area they were asked to locate and buy for the lowest price
Lord Sugar said in the boardroom: ‘Jack, you were ultimately responsible for the strategy, and the strategy failed’
Back in the boardroom, Karen revealed that Jack’s team bought seven of the items and spent £390.20, but failed to secure the Jersey Royal potatoes and sea salt glass jar and they also purchased the wrong size shackle.
They suffered a fine of £274.30 giving them a total spend of £669.50.
Raj’s team spent a total of £337.23 but didn’t secure the Jersey Royals and incurred a fine of £90, giving a total spend for the team of £427.23.
Jack and his team returned to the boardroom and Lord Sugar declared that it was ‘pretty much the worst team he has ever sent out on this task’ as they returned with seven items.
After receiving feedback from Karen Brady, Lord Sugar decided to bring them all back to face the firing line, and ultimately both Jack and Amina were fired.