In the firing line

Some gems at today's The Apprentice launch as the 16 candidates were unveiled, including one who said to camera: "As a sales person, I rate myself as probably the best in Europe." Course you do, my love. And a classic Sir Alan Sugar quote at the beginning of episode one: "This is a business boot camp. Mary Poppins I am not." Sugar admitted that his sons loved taking the mickey out of the contestants just as much as viewers do. "My sons say what a bloody wanker he is, what a tosser he is," he said to chuckles from the assembled hacks. The Amstrad boss was on good form at the press conference, even having a parting shot for Heather Mills. "I think she is Long John Silver's great granddaughter," he declared.