Apprentice Chris picks 'wife' for task

Apprentice Chris picks 'wife' for task
Apprentice Chris picks 'wife' for task

The Apprentice contestant Christopher Farrell casts himself as the star of a TV commercial in this week's episode. Lord Sugar challenges the aspiring entrepreneurs to create a new brand of household cleaner, and the former Royal Marine Commando is project manager of team Synergy. But Chris draws criticism from his team mates and advisor Nick Hewer after putting all his focus on the raunchy TV ad. After choosing to call his team's cleaner 'Octoklean', inspired by an Octopus, Chris decides to cast himself as the dad in their commercial and begins auditions to cast himself a lovely wife. His eye is soon distracted by a certain sexy brunette, and contestant Joanna Riley observes: "I think it's quite shady how Chris has picked the young, attractive girl." As Chris snuggles up on a sofa with his new 'wife' for the steamy TV ad, he claims: "Sex sells - let's be fair. It's really important for me and the actress to have chemistry." But Lord Sugar's trusted advisor Nick despairs: "So much for the liberated woman - this commercial is a stereotypical mumsy housewife. In 2010, you do not show this kind of 1950s schmaltz." Meanwhile, unemployed communications head Alex Epstein leads rival team Apollo, and reluctantly agrees to call their cleaner 'Germ-O-Nator', an idea enthusiastically suggested by investment banker Chris Bates. And when 22-year-old Laura Moore finds her ideas ignored, her request to pitch for team Apollo is turned down and she is put in a sub team to make a radio commercial, she throws a massive strop, ranting: "I see this as a complete disaster! Have you ever seen me this p**sed off?" The episode will be aired on Wednesday at 9pm on BBC One.

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 


An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.