Sir Alan Sugar

by Charlie Burden

  The show was an immediate success, with the ideas pitched to the Dragons varying from the weird to the wonderful, and the Dragons made for fantastic television. Woodroffe was very much the wild child of the panel, with his snazzy clothes and quirky sideboards. Earlier in his life, he had been on the road with rock acts including Rod Stewart and it showed in his cool manner. Richard was the most outspoken of the original panel, and his bluntness sometimes bordered on the rude, which gave proceedings a real edge. Peter Jones was tall, posh and telegenic. He has since become a very tough talker himself, but back in the early days he was more fair and measured in his response. Bannatyne was amusing, entertaining and wise from the off, and, along with Jones, has since become a fixture of the ever-changing panel. Amid all this testosterone, Elnaugh sometimes seemed a bit out of place and her very involvement was soon to become one of the series’ first controversies and made some wonder whether she really could be considered a true Dragon.

  Meanwhile, the ideas were often entertaining in their own right. For the viewer, all this was absolutely gripping television. We cheered on those who we felt deserved investment, and sneered at those whose ideas or pitches – or both! – were terrible. But even those who made the programme admit they have been surprised by how successful the show has become. As presenter Evan Davis said, ‘Few could have predicted just how many interesting characters there are in the business world, or how much drama a televised investment encounter can generate.’

  The critics agreed wholeheartedly. Ben Marshall in the Guardian Guide wrote, ‘[The show] is a brilliant bit of scheduling. Vast numbers of businesses, mostly unsuccessful, are conceived by people lying among carnival debris with a monstrous hangover. In Dragons’ Den, young men and women pitch their ideas to a group of savagely sceptical multimillionaires. It makes for horribly compelling viewing and is particularly painful for anyone who has ever spent time trying to convince a roomful of obscenely rich men to part with their cash.’

  The hard-nosed Victor Lewis-Smith, writing in the Evening Standard, said, ‘Combining hard-headed commerce and innovative design with Pop Idol-style humiliation, it’s provided compelling viewing … as five fairly knowledgeable and highly opinionated multimillionaires have poured scorn and ridicule on inventions that either don’t work or aren’t needed, before occasionally agreeing to put their money where their mouth is.’

  The Western Daily Press commented, ‘Dragons’ Den is a sort of Pop Idol for would-be entrepreneurs, except all the judges are Mr Nasty types. Hard-eyed and unsmiling, they put the poor supplicants through the kind of humiliation you used to get when you dared ask the bank manager for a loan to extend the conservatory.’ The review concluded, ‘Move over, Simon Cowell. You have competition.’

  The first series was, indeed, peculiarly entertaining. In subsequent years, those who pitched ideas had had the chance to watch the show, and therefore knew full well what they were letting themselves in for. But, in the first series, the pitchers were very much lambs to the slaughter. As presenter Davis put it, ‘I had always felt rather sorry for those entrepreneurs who came into the Den in the first series – they had never been able to watch the programme and see what they were in for.’

  The same can be said of the line-up for the first series of the next business reality show to be launched: The Apprentice. As with all reality shows, in subsequent series those who took part were more savvy as to how the show worked, but those who put themselves up for the first year had only a very vague idea of what was in store for them. Therefore, for them – and the viewer – it was a particularly intriguing and fresh experience. Nobody outside the production team knew exactly what hurdles and tasks were ahead, nor how the whole tone and energy of the process would manifest itself.

  However, The Apprentice was an entirely new phenomena, as there had already been a successful series of The Apprentice in America, broadcast on the NBC channel in the winter of 2004. Billed as ‘The Ultimate Job Interview’ in the ‘Ultimate Jungle’, the show pitched businesspeople against one another in an elimination-style competition for a one-year $250,000 starting contract, running one of the companies owned by US billionaire Donald Trump. Trump has made much of his fortune through property development and casino ownership and his name is synonymous with the rough and tumble of business success. He’s a very charismatic and ebullient figure – perfect for a show such as The Apprentice. ‘I’m not a big fan of the handshake,’ he told US TV channel NBC. ‘I think it’s barbaric, shaking hands, you catch colds, you catch the flu, you catch this, you catch all sorts of things.’ With the outspoken and flamboyant way he had about him, the man they call The Donald makes for magnetic television, as viewers of the original Apprentice series soon discovered. The US series began with sixteen contestants, eight men and eight women from around America, all of whom had been successful in various professional enterprises, including real estate, restaurant management, political consulting and sales. During the show, the contestants lived communally in a suite on the fourth floor of Trump Tower in Manhattan. In the now familiar format, elimination consisted of one contestant being ‘fired’ by Trump at the conclusion of each week’s episode. Filming of the entire series took just three months. The result was a huge success, with the show averaging at number seven in the weekly viewing charts, and average viewing figures of 20.7 million viewers each week. This was a godsend for NBC, because the channel’s two big hitters – comedies Frasier and Friends – were coming to an end.

  Soon, broadcasters in the United Kingdom who had watched the show and its success saw the potential for a UK version. The BBC were first to reveal an interest. ‘We are still in advanced negotiations about The Apprentice. But there have been some ideas discussed, one of which is that [then BBC director general] Greg Dyke might be very good as part of the panel [of judges],’ a spokeswoman said. ‘But we would not consider Greg for the Donald Trump character, and not if he went to ITV.’

  Soon, a bidding war erupted over which network would get the rights to The Apprentice. BBC2 and Channel 4 both bid fiercely for the rights to the show, but BBC2 came out on top. Although Philip Green was reportedly considered for the top job, the choice of Alan Sugar was undoubtedly the correct one. He had a back catalogue of experience of television thanks to the many interviews and other appearances he had had to make while working at Tottenham Hotspur. Also, as one executive involved said, if Richard Branson had been chosen, he wouldn’t have been able to stop smiling, even as he was firing someone.

  So it was that Sir Alan got the nod. ‘The Apprentice is a 12-week crash course in business survival techniques. Grounded in commercial reality, it is not for the faint-hearted,’ he said. ‘It doesn’t claim to turn everyone into an entrepreneur.’

  Why had the man with a shy side, who was often known to ooze with contempt for the media, chosen to sign up? ‘I’d been involved with the government in visiting schools and promoting enterprise among young people, and this opportunity slotted nicely into that,’ he said. ‘Plus, I knew the US Apprentice had taken off, and had a tremendous impact on business awareness. I’m sure they knocked on all the usual suspects’ doors before they got to me, but, while some businessmen may be clever and bright, they can dry up in front of a camera. I’d been on so many Money Programmes and faced the cameras constantly when I was chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, and I made it clear that I thought The Apprentice was something I could do.’

  It wasn’t something he did for the money on a personal level, because he donates his appearance fee to charity. ‘I really think it opens a window into the business world, and that’s why I do it,’ he said forcefully. ‘I know that top businessmen profess to think it’s all a bit of a joke, but, while they’re sitting there calling the candidates a bunch of pricks, they’re all glued to the programme. But I also know for an undisputed fact that kids from 11 to 15 are the biggest audience. They love it and learn from it.’

  The opening series was broadcast on 16 February 2005, when we were introduced to th
e first batch of contestants, who were initially divided into teams of men, named Impact, and women, First Forte, and it was clear from the off that there were plenty of entertaining characters involved.

  Adele, 29, was the manager of a lucrative property development company. She was also the general manager of a family firm, something that Sugar could relate to because he has employed relatives at Amstrad since the earliest days. She famously worked into the evening the night before she gave birth, and sold a kitchen to her midwife during labour. It was clear from the off that here was a straight-talking candidate.

  Adenike was a year older than Adele and was just as self-assured. Owning and managing a restaurant and running huge events for top-notch corporate clients, she was clearly a smart character. Her determination and intense focus promised to ensure she was one to watch in situations of potential conflict.

  An internal communications manger for an oil company, 35-year-old Lindsay was not as quick to shout about her ambition as other candidates, but she insisted that didn’t mean she lacked that quality.

  Glamorous Miranda was a 26-year-old managing director of a commission-based estate agency. Having already launched two successful companies, she claimed to have been a saleswoman since the tender age of 12. A previous manager said of Miranda that ‘her sales technique and the profits she generated for the company remain legendary’. The question mark was whether, behind her brilliant presentational skills, there was any substance in this candidate. Time would tell. Miriam had made a 20-hour round trip to attend each stage of the interview process to get through to appear on The Apprentice, underlining her motivation: ‘It’s an investment for the future,’ she explained.

  Rachel, a fundraising manager for one of the largest national children’s charities, was bubbly and charismatic.

  Then there was Saira. A corporate sales manager for an online recruitment company, she was full of drive and energy. So strong was her self-belief and confidence that she delayed her wedding plans in order to take part in The Apprentice. ‘I hope that as an Asian woman I will give other Asian women the inspiration to go out there and do well in business,’ she declared. A gym freak, she also spoke four languages as well as English – Bhari, Urdu, Punjabi and Hindu. This was fitting, for she was without doubt the most talkative of the candidates. Would she be too chatty for her own good? Would she play as good a game as she talked?

  First up for the guys was the smooth and sophisticated Ben. A handsome, charismatic man, he ran his own headhunting firm, a field he had worked in since the age of 17. His pedigree was undeniable, and he had once been voted Global Consultant of the Year.

  Another suave operator was James, a former public-school boy who lived by the maxim ‘I seek success as a result of my own achievements’. He was no stranger to business-related competitions, having previously been a finalist in Property Week’s Young Property Personality of the Year. Articulate and posh, from the start James seemed destined to be a particularly memorable candidate, and so it was to prove.

  Sebastian, another posh boy, was a Savile Row-suited corporate finance man.

  The oldest candidate was 39-year-old former Conservative parliamentary candidate Matthew, who was more than a little eccentric. Tall and brimming with enthusiasm, he admitted from the off that diplomacy was not his strong point, which proved to be something of an understatement. That said, Sir Alan himself said that he knew how it felt to be accused of having an attitude problem, so he was not about to automatically write Matthew off.

  Raj was the founder and managing director of an estate agency. He had a business failure on his record, but Sir Alan said he would not hold this against a candidate in whom he recognised plentiful entrepreneurial characteristics.

  ‘I know I’m not the cleverest bloke in business, so I always make sure I check everything, and then I check and check again,’ said 34-year-old Paul, introducing himself to the viewing public. But he was being a little hard on himself, for, as would become very quickly apparent, Paul was a born salesman. Sir Alan said he recognised a lot of his younger self in Paul. With a potential to erupt into temper, Paul was one to watch.

  The opening words of Tim Campbell were not without confidence. ‘Sir Alan has a lot he could teach me. Perhaps I might know a few things that I could teach him as well.’ With a sharp eye and a charismatic presence, Tim was also a man who managed to become popular quickly, making him a fine team player. Even without the benefit of hindsight, it was clear that this young man was going to be a major contender.

  The first task appeared simple enough: the two teams were sent out to buy and sell flowers, and the team who made the more money would be crowned winners, and, in the now famous words to the losing team, ‘one of you will get fired’.

  Saira headed the First Forte team, and Tim headed the Impact team. First Forte began by selling flowers at a market before deciding to sell on the street. Impact, on the other hand, immediately started selling flowers door to door and won the task. While they celebrated on the London Eye, Saira’s First Forte team were dragged into the dreaded boardroom. Sir Alan chewed over the options of whom to dismiss, before finally deciding. He pointed his finger at Adenike and uttered the immortal Apprentice line, ‘You’re fired!’

  Week two’s task was to design a new product for a toy company. Impact won again, not least because the First Forte team leader Lindsay did not listen to her colleagues and instead went with a bizarre product called ‘Secret Signals’.

  Sugar decided to mix up the teams, and, after two further victories by the Impact team (one on a purchasing task, the other on a selling task), the show had lost two more women: Adele and Miranda. Then, First Forte finally won its first task in an entertaining episode. The teams had been asked to choose an artist and sell their work at an art gallery. First Forte brought back £19,563 to the boardroom. Although Impact had sold more paintings, their artist’s work sold less per work and as a result they netted just £6,147. So it was that the first man of the series – Matthew – heard the words, ‘You’re fired!’

  First Forte were the winners the following week, too, when their task had been to design an advertisement for the Amstrad jukebox music system and pitch it to firms. In what proved to be a hilarious episode, advertising woman Rachel performed a bizarre pitch that involved her throwing her shoes across the room and dancing in a manner that could at best be described as eccentric. Paul, Saira and – inevitably – Rachel were taken into the boardroom. Rachel was the contestant to be fired but Sugar also scolded Paul and Saira, who had been arguing constantly.

  If Rachel had shown herself up herself in that episode, then many of the contestants matched her performance in the following week. The task here was to negotiate with five celebrities and persuade them to donate their property or services for a charity auction in aid of the refurbishment of Hackney Empire, back in Sir Alan’s old stomping ground. One of the celebrities was Paul McKenna, and Raj chose to lead the negotiations, as he was a confirmed fan of the celebrity hypnotist. In the event, Raj was utterly starstruck and rambled embarrassingly at McKenna until Paul intervened and took over the pitch. Meanwhile, Tim managed to offend Ian Wright during their negotiations and he had to be bailed out by Miriam. On the night of the auction, there was more toe-curling when the theatre tickets donated by comedian Mel Smith almost failed to sell. Ben’s Impact team won the night, by raising £18,000 to First Forte’s £10,000. James, Raj and Sebastian went into the boardroom, and Sebastian was the next to be shown the door.

  Ben was fired in week eight after a task that involved selling food at a country market. The winning team – First Forte – were given as their reward a trip to Monaco, where they were allowed to gamble their task profits at a swish casino.

  Week nine saw Saira at her entertaining and enraging best. The task was to market a text-messaging service to fans of Sugar’s old club, Tottenham Hotspur. Saira was far too pushy towards the club marketing manager and relations between both teams and the club suffered hugely as a res
ult. Paul’s Impact team beat Saira’s First Forte team, and Saira came within a whisker of being fired in the boardroom, but in the end it was Raj who was dismissed, because he had once more failed to take throw himself sufficiently into the task.

  Miriam was sacked at the end of the next task, which involved selling products on a shopping channel, despite her highly accomplished presenting performance. But she had failed to keep control of her team, with Paul proving to be particularly livewire.

  And so to the semifinals, where each of the remaining candidates – James, Paul, Saira and Tim – were grilled by a panel of tough interviewers hired by Sir Alan. James and Paul failed to impress the interviewers and were both fired. Paul was considered too aggressive, and there were question marks as to whether he truly wished to be the Apprentice, which was also the main reason for James’s dismissal. So, the show had its final two: the dependable Tim and the entertaining Saira.

  It was to prove to be an engaging final, with fired candidates brought back to the show to help, as Tim and Saira went head to head each organising an event on a riverboat. Saira put on a wine-tasting night, while Tim held a fashion show. Naturally, Sir Alan turned up to both evenings. Here, the winner was not determined merely by who did better financially from the task (in which case, Saira would have been hired). Instead, the overall performance and long-term visions of the candidates were taken into account. In the boardroom, having considered all the aspects, Sir Alan pointed at Tim and said, ‘You’re hired!’ The Apprentice had crowned its first winner.