The 12 remaining candidates in The Apprentice travel to Dubai in this week's episode where their business skills are put to the test with a shopping trip in the United Arab Emirates. Teams Endeavour and Evolve are tasked with buying a number of items for a Waldorf Astoria hotel still under construction in Ras Al Khaimah in the episode, which airs on BBC on Tuesday evening. The team that purchases all eight items on the shopping list for the least amount of money wins.
Speaking to the candidates via a TV screen, Lord Sugar tells them, "I've dragged you all the way out here because I expect you to be able to do business anywhere in the world. "Zeeshaan Shah is first to offer his leadership skills to team Endeavour as project manager. It's a position that Leah Totton, 24, also puts herself forward for, but Zee's previous experience doing business in Dubai convinces the group he is the best person to lead the team.Myles Mordaunt, 39, is elected team leader of Evolve, and with four wins under their belt, the pressure is on to make it five.The teams have to decide whether to shop in the markets or the Dubai Mall in the hunt for items; an Egyptian Mahogany Oud, a traditional Kandura, an Arabic coffee pot; a falcon hood, a UAE flag; a sego palm tree, frankincense crystals and golden mosaic tiles.
Confident in his local knowledge, Zee, 27, begins by telling doctor Leah, "put the map away because I know Dubai like the back of my hand." He then explains his strategy: "The key to winning this task will be to buy as many items in the markets as possible and as little as possible in Dubai Mall." Myles, meanwhile, sends his team to the Mall convinced that having everything under one roof will make the task easier.
On the hunt for the UAE flag, Myles decides to wait an hour in the shop for it to be made before moving on to the next location. Zee, in an effort to save time, pre-orders from the same shop over the phone but mistakenly request a flag that's 48cm by 72cm believing that's the equivalent of 4ft by 6ft. "Here in the land of the sand dune, the camel, and the Burj Al Arab, size really matters," aide Nick Hewer comments. "They came to buy a flag of a certain size, they got the size wrong, they got one the size of a napkin. Why? Because they weren't paying attention."
The teams also struggle to purchase an Egyptian mahogany oud, both believing it's an Arabic perfume, when in fact it's an instrument.The Apprentice episode five airs on BBC at 9pm on Tuesday 28th May.
