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May 1st, 2008

Too many celebrity cooks spoiling the broth?

Posted by: Stephen Addison

atten3.jpgSir David Attenborough has accused the BBC of chasing ratings and overloading the schedules with too many makeover programmes and celebrity chefs.

Where, he asks, are the programmes about science for example like the long-defunct “Tomorrow’s World?”

“Do we really require so many gardening programmes, makeover programmes or celebrity chefs,” he asks. “Is it not a scandal in this day and age that there seems to be no place for continuing series of programmes about science, or serious music or thoughtful, in-depth interviews with people other than politicians?”

Attenborough joined the BBC in 1952 so he’s been around the corporation a long time. Do you think he’s right or has he had his day?

    

May 1st, 2008

“The Apprentice”: Jenny, the Deflector

Posted by: Avril Ormsby

kevin.jpgJenny does it again.

Despite showing a woeful lack of common sense with the doomed environmentally themed greetings card idea, and exhibiting a total lack of awareness during a sales pitch when she admitted no longer buying cards to be environmental, she still managed to deflect attention from herself in the boardroom by picking on the quietest woman in the room.

She did it in the second show when Shazia was kicked off, and attempted it against Sara in this week’s episode.

This is not to say she is Miss Teflon - Alan Sugar seemed to be aware of what was happening, but it clearly shows her tactics and helps extend her stay in the house.

“The house” is becoming the right phrase as “The Apprentice” is increasingly beginning to resemble the thinking-man’s “Big Brother”.

The barracking of Sara on her return from the boardroom was just aggressive showmanship. Raef, in pointing out the firing had already been dished out by Sugar in the boardroom, was the only one to come out of the situation well.

The sad thing is how the others so easily jumped on the bandwagon, including Lee, who, for me, is beginning to resemble a loose cannon, and Kevin, who was clutching at anything in the boardroom, except the obvious.

Let’s hope it’s not too long before Jenny goes — that way, we can see more of Lucinda’s increasingly odd wardrobe and Alex biting off more than he can chew.