By Sam Elliott-Gibbs
History was made on the Apprentice tonight after millions of pounds of investment was secured - but that didn't stop Onyeka Nweze from getting the bullet.
On a record-breaking episode after the eye-watering amount of CASH was pledged during the Formula-E task, it was great news Team Nexus. But for Supreme, it wasn't a day to remember and they were all left in the firing line after securing around half of their rivals' total.
It would have been hard to match up and after a record-breaking £38.7 million in sponsorships, there was only one winner - and Onyeka, who was handed the critical pitches to win over the backers, got it all wrong. Her nervy address didn't inspire and Lord Sugar was just as unimpressed by those looking throwing their money around.
Lord Sugar called their video "garbage" - and it wasn't his only stinging criticism. The Chartered Company Secretary was called back to the boardroom and was given her marching order in a typically tense showdown. While she was defending herself, he told her: "Nothing is your fault."
She responded by blaming the branding - saying the colours the team selected just weren't sellable. The ethos of the product was pinpointed as the problem by Karen Brady, and racing fan Paul brought her and Virdi back into the boardroom. Paul told her she had let him down after trusting her with the pitch and the tycoon had no choice but to agree.
"The logo sucks, the video sucks," Lord Sugar said before telling Onyeka: "The lack of not explaining the ethos is also a very, very serious thing. You are culpable in as much as the failure is concerned. Onyeka, you’re clearly a charming and highly intelligent lady, and I appreciate that you’ve done your best throughout the course of this process, but on this occasion it simply wasn’t enough. So, it is with regret that, Onyeka, you’re fired.”
The winning team secured a huge victory, shattering the previous record of £1.2 million secured in the Electric Bikes task in season 15. Lord Sugar was impressed for the first time this year after a chaotic opening few weeks.
Explaining why she was interested in taking part in The Apprentice, she said: "I'm building a big business, it's technology so you don't need a few grand like you would do with products. I needed big money, I needed big names and I needed a big leader and I felt that being on The Apprentice was definitely going to do that for me you in terms of the investment, in terms of Lord Sugar as a respectable person in the business industry."
Last week, the Apprentice fans were treated to a double departure on the BBC series. Episode four ended with both Jack Davies and Amina Khan heading home, after the two teams were sent to Jersey to secure nine items synonymous to the area.
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