“The Apprentice” has found its bully, sergeant major and army officer — oh, and its first scapegoat.
So scary was the bully that she was even likened to the villain of the last series Katie Hopkins.
But at least you could watch and learn from Hopkins and admire her lucidity, if not her morals.
This bully — step forward Jenny Celerier — is just, well … brutish.
Admittedly, the two women share the same naff dress sense — white suits for Hopkins and ties and neck scarves pulled just a little too meanly and tightly for Celerier.
But Celerier just alternates between ignoring her team or shouting at them, reducing some to tears in front of others.
“I am the project manager and I have not finished speaking”, must surely become her catchphrase.
Making Shazia Wahab the scapegoat for the laundry exercise was a masterclass in hypocrisy.
While Wahab showed enthusiasm and initiative, Celerier came up with the idea of charging five pounds to launder a pillow case and asking for tips from customers whose clothing had gone missing.
Was this even more embarrassing than the kiss-o-gram policy adopted by the girls’ team in the last series?
Unlike her comments on “The Apprentice” Web site, Wahab was not a “stubborn cow who wants to have the last word” — she was too much in shock at Celerier’s tactics and criticisms to put up a fight in the boardroom.
Under Celerier’s leadership the girls, who won the first challenge, were reduced to arguing among themselves rather like washerwomen, as Adrian Chiles described it in the post-programme analysis.
The boys on the other hand were transformed under the leadership of Raef Bjayou, who really can’t be that posh AND be on television.
After the first week of the business TV reality show, the candidates are beginning to stand out more than the boys’ haircuts, and possibly even Alan Sugar’s increasingly garish ties.
And an early likely winner is Simon Smith who slipped seamlessly into his former role as an NCO in the Royal Artillery, following the orders of Bjayou and putting in the hard graft.
As he said himself: “I’m the sergeant major and Bjayou is the officer. It’s like the old days.”
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17 comments so far
Ms Celerier will go far in the right organisation. She could try BP, Shell, Glaxo or any UK government department - any stiff-necked outfit in thrall to women’s “rights” will do nicely.
- Posted by Mike TI absolutley agree. I really felt it for Shazia last night; at least she had some initiative in going for the iron in the first place! All of the ideas that came out of the Project Manager’s mouth were ridiculous. All she seemed to want to do was talk/shout. To be a good team leader you must be able to listen to your team not just order them about! Its not often that I disagree with Sir Alan but today I do.
- Posted by Haleyoh my god, i just cannot believe that woman Celerier managed to stay in, she was totally out of order, i dont know how people manaed to keep their hands off her!!! She just blammed evry one else, even calling shazia a liar! Last night was a big mistake for Alan sugar-it amazed me that he could get it so wrong-or has she been kept in for entertainment value and ratings?
- Posted by GinaShazia was stitched up like a kipper by Jenny and Lucinda ( lovely blue eyes and looks so much like a friend of mine) got away with it. However jenny will make good tv and give us plenty of drama along the way. Jenny a winner I don’t think so as nasty as Hopkins, probably not as she’s doesn’t seem to look down on the rst of the population. Would I employ her I doubt6 it but she’d be excellent in the Armed Forces.
- Posted by gladIt is quite obvious that to preserve good television for future episodes the wrong lady was fired. The young lady who, knowing there was a meeting to attend at 7am, slept in and put the team at risk should have gone.
- Posted by BookhoundI totally agree. Sir Alan made a hasty and the wrong decision today. Jenny and Cleire are the people that should have been fired. Because Shazia had left earliar under the orders of her project mangaer she was used as a scape goat, if Shazia hadnt been organised they would have misplaced all of the dirty laundary, it would have been more than £50 deducted then. I really disagree with Sir Alans decision.
- Posted by SobanaI so can’t belive that evil Jenny is still there. Poor Shazia…she really did shoe initiative. Jenny is such a bully.
- Posted by DiboI am horrified that such vile and disgusting behaviour has been condoned…thanks to Alan Sugar, thousands of young women watching will be influenced by Jenny’s behaviour in the boardroom. She’s a bully and should have been made accountable.
A total disgrace!
- Posted by Niamhif i was the person being shouted at i would have actually thrown jenny out the car. the woman is a disgrace. how sir alan did not fire her i don not know. When you manage the project in the style she did, where she dictates everything and uses no qualities of team mates, then you have to be held accountable.
- Posted by willms celerier made all the wrong decisions and was heavily culpable for the shambolic ladies’ team failing the task. she clearly misunderstands leadership for her very own brand of dictatorship when faced with opposition.
- Posted by francesbusiness aside, she comes across as a bully, and a thoroughly unpleasant character. ultimately she’ll get found out for what she is… better at passing than making the buck
I’m not so sure. Yes, Celerier is a bully and no doubt that will catch up with her - but Shazia was willing enough to leave the task and drop her colleagues in it; she also showed in the board room that she’s unable to think on her feet and deal with the unexpected. That last point is important - is Sugar’s looking for his next mover and shaker then someone who freezes immediately a surprise turns up isn’t going to cut it.
I’d be pleased to see Celerier get a dressing-down too, don’t get me wrong - but just because the obvious candidate didn’t get the chop, doesn’t make it the wrong decision.
- Posted by Guy ClappertonAm I the only person to have noticed that Raef is an anagram for Fear?
- Posted by MargaretJenny is a bully. Her behaviour is disgusting and she should be ashamed of herself. To recruit her is a liability due to the harrassment laws that are in place and she is a tribunal waiting to happen. However keeping her in will make her reveal her true colours. She craves the money and the status of a £100,000 salary and it woudl be interesting to see if she is the type of woman that represents corporate directors. If she is, then this is a very sad day for business people and corporate organisations because her behaviour is only not professional but does not illicit the best from her staff which means less profits and decline in revenue due to the demorolisation of staff.
- Posted by ANTONY GRIMAIn stepping forward as the pantomime villain, Celerier has guaranteed herself several weeks of tasks. She won’t win it and in the real world she would have been fired, but the truth is that she has now captured an irate audience and the BBC/Alan Sugar, aren’t too stupid to let the saga fade after one week.
- Posted by J GeorgeAlan Sugar was absolutly right.
Shazia was critical to the quality control process and customer service was central to this task ie you get your own clothes back.
She went off and left clothes in the washer without any identification and cross communication. She repeatedly fudged the issue until cornered by Sir Alan.
Once again Sir Alan showed why is has become so sucessful.
- Posted by roy hammoncould one tell one is Raef hairdo for real pmsl one my bro works for the BBC hes a producer thinks one should try next year mind am only a storeman but bye god id give it a go use my head ps ALAN SUGAR the daddy oi alan if ur ever in edinburgh pop in for a coffee
- Posted by tommyOh dear, oh dear! A woman like Celerier surely had to be fired this week! She was overbearing and a complete bully. A good team leader is a good listener, who tackles problems constructively with team members in order to get positive results! Not someone who yells and shouts and can’t delegate clearly and effectively! Her behaviour was absolutely appauling. It is possible to be a strong woman in business without resorting to harassment and bullying. If it was the real world, she would have been sacked! If she does win, she wont be the ‘top dog’ she’ll be swallowed up in Sir Alans world and probably wont last 2 minutes!
- Posted by Jen