Current state of play

Well, it's week 8 and things are getting really good now. I think that's because the people left in the show all have certain qualitites that they bring to the table and it's not immediately obvious who will get fired. In previous weeks, some candidates have been so poor that it was obvious within five minutes who was going to get fired. That may of course be due to the way the show is edited. Maybe they purposely show the person fired in a bad light during the task, although thankfully that wasn't the case this week. I always think that it spoils the drama of the boardroom a little for me when they do that, so hopefully the rest of the series will employ this new, fairer editing.

Anyway, my take on the remaining contestants after the advertising task:

• Ghazal - had to go. She may talk loudly in the hope that she will be perceived as strong minded, but in reality she is easily influenced, immature and manages to talk but with no substance behind it. She didn't learn the lesson that being mouthy is one thing, but you have to back it up with real actions. Looking back, did she actually contribute positively to a single task? If she's a millionaire by the age of 30, then I think the National Lottery will have more to do with it than her business brain.
• Tre - I'm actually warming to him. He would be horrible to work with. He's incrediby impatient and selfish, but more often than not he's right about things. Could be a dark horse. But please trim that beard!
• Simon - clearly the favourite. He's competent, intelligent and crucially what sets him apart from all the others is that he actually gets on well with everyone - he's a good team player.
• Jadine - was actually a lot better on this task. She wasn't aggressive or touchy for a change and just got on with it but I can't see her winning.
• Christine - second favourite for me at this stage. She is very bright and has a good business brain. The only thing that lets her down is that other people don't warm to her and they all seem to think she's a b**ch, hence why I think Simon has the edge over her.
• Naomi - she's just filler. She'll be out soon enough. Doesn't add anything useful. The advertising task was supposed to be her strength but she didn't offer any real ideas. "Image is everything" - that was such vacuous, meaningless drivel.
• Lohit - a dark horse. Competent, likeable, gets on with everybody and mature but maybe a little quiet and in the background for Sir Alan. I think he prefers people who are just a little bit more "in your face". Third favourite for me.
• And finally Katie - she is this year's villain. Initially I thought Tre was this year's villain but she has well and truly taken the mantle. She is bright, articulate, competent, persuasive and influential and a goodish leader, but she is just such a political animal that it negates all her positives. I just don't think she is the kind of character Sugar would employ, but you never know. I can't wait for her interview with Adrian Chiles!