TOP notch business skills were put to the test for our local candidates in tonight's episode of The Apprentice.

In the football-themed episode which aired on BBC1 tonight, Charles Burns from Radcliffe, and Michaela Wain from Heaton, were tasked with selling high-end pre-match events for guests in a corporate hospitality box at the women’s FA cup final.

Team Vitality began the task by visiting a chef to decide what food and drinks they would offer their guests, along with auditioning potential entertainment for the event.

After discovering the cost of hiring a magician, Charles and the rest of team Vitality decided they would look closer to home for their entertainment.

Described by project manager Andrew Brady as having the “voice of an angel” in the shower, Harrison Jones stepped in as the guest singer for evening, saving team Vitality a considerable £700.


Michaela, having shown her negotiating worth in previous weeks, took a lead in pitching their corporate box to potential clients.

During the second leg of the task, Charles was moved outside to help with the popcorn sales, whilst Brady brought new addition Sarah Lynn in to the box to interact with the clients.




He said: “I think it was a fair decision by Andrew, because Sarah Lynn had been on the pitching team and had already interacted with the client, so I think it worked well to have her in there as a familiar face. I think it is best to work as a team and look at how the team will work to win rather than worry about what we’re doing as individuals.”

After three consecutive losses, team Vitality were overjoyed to have won the football task.


Charles said: “Finally we won a task - and it was a really interesting one.

“I think this task for me was where you think when in life would you get to do something like that? It was an amazing opportunity. I think it was once in a lifetime.”

Charles and Michaela will continue their battle to become Lord Sugar’s apprentice next Wednesday at 9pm on BBC1.