The Apprentice 2009 – the contestants

The team: Margaret Mountford, Sir Alan Sugar and Nick Hewer Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC/BBC

Meet the girls: Mona Lewis, 28; Yasmina Siadatan, 27; Kimberly Davis, 33; Anita Shah, 35; Lorraine Tighe, 36; Kate Walsh, 27; Paula Jones, 29 and Debra Barr, 24 Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Meet the boys: Howard Ebison, 24; Majid Nagra, 28; Noorul Shoudhury, 33; Ben Clarke, 22; Phillip Taylor, 29; Rocky Andrews, 21 and James McQuillan, 32 Photograph: Talkbackthames/BBC

Howard Ebison: Award-winning dancer, self-trained musician and area manager to no fewer than 10 pubs, is there anything retail business manager Howard Ebison can’t do? Well there's work in a fish and chip shop, apparently, where he once got the sack. The former paper boy says he hopes one day to set up his own consultancy specialising in customer service. 'I am a credible businessman who wants to go far,' says Howard. Credible? Not exactly bigging himself up. 'I’m incredibly ambitious.' That’s more like it. 'If I don’t go far down this route I shall go far down another route.' Yeah, the one signposted 'TV oblivion'
FIRED: WEEK 11 Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Kate Walsh: Kate likes indie music, cooking, snowboarding and working out in the gym, but not all four at the same time. She regrets not applying to Oxbridge and admires the ballsy business approach of Samantha from Sex and the City. 'My CV speaks for itself,' says Walsh. She carries on talking anyway. 'I’ve always excelled academically and I have really achieved within a corporate environment across sales, marketing and a number of different aspects of business.' But how much can she bench press?
FIRED: WEEK 12 Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

James McQuillan: Former labourer, trolley collector, nightclub doorman and child chess champion, James describes himself as a 'schmoozer' who people feel comfortable around. Less fortunately for him, he also suffers from 'foot in mouth syndrome'. Just so long as he doesn’t suffer it in the boardroom, eh? He is also a football referee, sports fanatic and now works as a senior commercial manager. 'I’m astute and shrewd and smart... maybe blunt at times,' says McQuillan, who would have loved to have been the brains behind The A-Team. Depending on the team names they choose this year, perhaps he still can be
FIRED: WEEK 11 Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Kimberly Davis: No not the Kimberly Davis out of Neighbours, but a New York business owner who started her own lemonade and iced tea stand when she was five years old and now runs a marketing and development business. She has performed Mozart at Carnegie Hall, danced onstage at Disney World, played flute in Disneyland’s Electric Light Parade and toured with the... oh, whatever. 'I bring honesty and integrity to the table – I don’t lie, cheat or backstab.' She’ll be in a party of one, then. Her most inspiring brands are Tiffany & Co, Chanel and Apple. And Amstrad, she forgets to add
FIRED: WEEK FIVE Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Majid Nagra: Majid is the reformed rebel who was expelled from school who now works with youth centres and charities and runs his own car hire business. He describes himself as funny, talkative and not one to shy away from the spotlight, with a 'never say die' attitude. 'I think that business is the backbone to the world,' says Nagra. 'Without companies buying and selling, there wouldn’t be any economy.' With platitudes like that, we are assuming his favourite film is Forrest Gump.
FIRED: WEEK THREE Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Lorraine Tighe: Lorraine describes herself as a 'single mum with no education' who has gone on to become top sales person in every company she has ever worked for. 'It is tough, but to have the confidence I have I should be very proud of myself.' Indeed. Less encouraging is that the BBC press bumph describes her as 'talkative'. Uh-oh. 'She sums up her attitude to business as the ability to drive a dead horse to the winning line,' adds the programme information. Sounds like an extraordinary achievement, but not necessarily one you would want to watch on Wednesday nights on BBC1
FIRED: WEEK 11 Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Noorul Choudhury: Noorul is a straight-talking science teacher who tells it like it is. He thinks Argos should be banned from selling jewellery – talk about kicking a retail chain when it’s down – and his ambition is to be a property development millionaire. 'I have always been ambitious and driven and I’ve got the capabilities to deliver. I am not all talk,' he says. We never suggested you were, Noorul. 'I can manage a team of people, total strangers even, because I am feisty and have an attitude.' If balls were currency, he’d be a millionaire already. Unfortunately for him, they’re not
FIRED: WEEK SIX Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Mona Lewis: Former Tanzanian beauty queen Mona describes herself as shrewd and honest in business, and believes that personal emotions should never interfere with decision-making. Shouldn’t be a problem on The Apprentice. The mother-of-one says she would love to have been the brains behind Tesco. Is that Tesco in particular or just the supermarket concept of selling a large variety of food and household goods under one roof? 'I knew I would be selected,' she says. 'Not to sound big headed ...' No, no, not at all, Mona, the very thought
FIRED: WEEK EIGHT Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Rocky Andrews: Rocky Andrews left school at 16 to become a footballer with Middlesbrough but his career was cut short by arthritis. So he set up a sandwich chain instead and now has 15 shops across the north-east of England. 'For me, business is about hard work, attention to detail, being willing to make mistakes and learning from these mistakes,' says Rocky. This year’s youngest contestant – does that mean you’ll be rooting for him? – he already earns more than the salary on offer from Sir Alan. No, didn’t think you would.
FIRED: WEEK TWO Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Paula Jones: No, not the Paula Jones who made those eye-watering allegations against Bill Clinton – although she would doubtless have made an interesting Apprentice – but a self-confessed fashion-conscious scatterbrain who works in human resources. She was a sergeant in the army cadets and represented the army at county level in shooting, it says here. So she knows all about firing already. 'I am the girl with a plan. I have great wit and strength of character, and I am resilient to the core.' But, er, does she have the right ammunition?
FIRED: WEEK FOUR Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Yasmina Siadatan: Marathon runner and restaurant owner, Yasmina spent time living in Los Angeles and Iran before settling in London. She describes herself as dominating, adaptable, and says business is about spotting a gap in the market and filling it quicker than anyone else. Hmm. We hadn’t thought of it like that. 'Business is about a simple formula. Make more than you spend. That’s what I do, I keep business simple and it works – I’m good at it.' Close, but no cigar. Sir Alan’s business formula: 'Make LOTS more than you spend'
HIRED: WEEK 12 Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Philip Taylor: Not the portly darts player (is there a pattern emerging here?) but an estate agent – altogether now: 'booo!' – from County Durham. Described as confident, charming and a control freak – anything beginning with a ‘c’, apparently – he believes that you should make friends but make money while doing it. Hmm. 'Business is the new rock'n'roll and I’m Elvis Presley.' Yep, we’ve thought of another c-word right there.
FIRED: WEEK SEVEN Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Anita Shah: Anita wants to prove you can be successful in business by being nice to people, not nasty. She appears to have applied for the wrong job, then. A lawyer and 'self-confessed perfectionist' – aren’t we all? – she also wants to write a chick-lit novel. But will it include a short, gruff, rogue-ish business type who went from market trader to £700m empire (or whatever it is worth these days)? 'My CV is strong. I am articulate. People want to chat with me,' she says. Do you?
FIRED: WEEK ONE Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Ben Clarke: Belfast-born former Gavin Henson lookalike – you be the judge – Ben says Playboy founder Hugh Hefner is one of his most admired business figures. He is rebellious, ruthless, cocky and money-obsessed, with a raw hunger to make as much money as possible. In short, TV gold who is a surefire bet to make it to the final or who will be kicked out at the first opportunity. 'To me, making money is better than sex,' says Clarke. Sex with you, anyway, we wager. But which will he have had more of come the end of The Apprentice?
FIRED: WEEK NINE Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC

Debra Barr: Debra overcame childhood illiteracy to take a degree in English literature. The saleswoman who loves horses has put it to good use – she was awarded 'mouth of the year' at her office Christmas party. She says she was inspired by Bill Gates and Sir Richard Branson. Surely she means Sir Alan Sugar? 'When I set my sights on something I have to make sure I get it,' says Barr, the youngest female contestant in this year’s show, aged 24. 'I am very cautious and only let the people that I can trust see the softer side of me.' Big mouth, soft heart. Pass the Kleenex!
FIRED: WEEK 11 Photograph: Talkback Thames/BBC