Though we all love to laugh and poke fun at the contestants taking part in BBC One's The Apprentice each year, there are some smart minds in the running who manage to make their way to the end and find themselves just a step away from a business partnership from one of the UK's savviest business brains - Lord Alan Sugar.
Credit: BBC
This year, Alana Spencer and Courtney Wood have made their way to the grand finale (set to air tomorrow!), but just who should walk away with the £250,000 investment and almost-guaranteed success with Lord Sugar by their side? We take a look at the cases for both candidates…
Alana Spencer
Looking to take her cake company to the next level, Alana is a woman we've seen go on a real journey throughout her time on the show. When we first met her, she was a sheepish contestant who wouldn't say boo to a goose, and was even pushed to tears on more than one occasion. Now though she's more-than-willing to stand up for herself and did exactly that when it came to the interview stages, even going so far as to make samples of her cake for the interviewers to try whilst they poked holes wherever they could in her impressive business plan. On the winning side during six of the tasks and taking the win in week 3 when she stepped up to be project manager, she's got a nice resume behind her - though it's not quite as good as her rival's. Her company is one that jumps right onto the current trend of baking and cake-eating - when everybody is still reeling from the loss of The Great British Bake Off on BBC One, Lord Sugar could be willing to give everybody a sugar injection if he's looking to invest in a company that will serve up delicious treats for anybody willing to part with £3 per brownie slice.
Courtney Wood
Courtney has been perhaps the savviest contestant this season, making his way through the show by winning eight of the 10 tasks he had been a part of in the competition and winning both times he served as project manager. Courtney has what could be seen as a riskier business than his rival Alana, with the contestant instead focusing his Bubblegum Stuff company on the sale of novelty toys. Whilst the majority of the items he sells aren't unique to the brand, he has made over 30 of them himself, but Lord Sugar noted how they could quickly be knocked off by a rival company if they became a success. What he has though is the passion and drive to start trends rather than follow them, but if his pitching isn't improved in the final episode he could be in big trouble. When taking to the floor he's been accused of lacking charisma, so when he's forced to play all of his cards in the final challenge, he has to show that he can sell as well as invent.
Who do you think will win The Apprentice 2016? Let us know in the comments below and tune in tomorrow night (December 18) when the finale airs at 9pm on BBC One.
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