Apparently – although I’ve not seen official word of this – this years Apprentice has a very slightly different format in that the winner of the show will NOT be rewarded with a £100,000 a year job with Lord Sugar, but will instead receive £250,000 to start their own business (with Lord Sugar as a 50% owner of the new startup).

There have been many who have said this is too similar to Dragon’s Den (another of my favourite shows), but I disagree. Dragon’s Den involves entrepreneurs pitching for investment in their business. The Apprentice however STILL involves business tasks that must be completed. The losing team STILL have to face the boardroom, and one of those team members will STILL get fired. The format hasn’t changed that much, just the ‘prize’.

I have no doubt that there will still be the standard bitching, backstabbing, and pure incompetence on show from those who are – supposedly – some of Britain’s brightest business prospects (a claim that usually worries me greatly every series!).

You can presume there will be at least one really annoying candidate – see Stuart Baggs. The girls will bitch about each other and shout and argue at every opportunity. This is not supposed to be a sexist comment, as I fully support women in business, but every series it happens – WITHOUT FAIL!

In tonight’s show the teams are given £250 to invest in fruit and veg. The team with the lowest profits will be faced with the boardroom, and as Lord Sugar will undoubtedly say, in that team one of you will get fired.

Here is a sneak preview of tonight’s episode of The Apprentice 2011 (courtesy of BBC);

Also, see this playlist on YouTube for the audition videos of the Apprentice 2011 candidates.

Discuss The Apprentice below… any favourite candidates?

Before I go much further, I must say that Ellie’s music is NOT the genre I’d normally listen to. R&B, Hip Hop, and Dance is more ‘my thing’ if I’m going to be honest. But the voice was so angelic it forced me to listen again and again, drawing me into a state of relaxation – and admiration.

Of course, I thought it necessary to tell Ellie how pleasing her music was, and we had a conversation where she revealed that she had almost got a deal with a major record label before they pulled out for some inexplicable reason, and was therefore now a member of Sellaband. I for one had never heard of this site, but was informed that it was a social network site for unsigned music artists to gain exposure, and more importantly, raise funds to produce their album. At the time, the funds required was set at $50,000.

The site works by allowing others to buy ‘parts’ or shares in any artist on the site. Each part cost $10 and contributed to the artists funds. So, I bought an undisclosed number of parts in Ellie Williams. She raised the $50,000 in just 50 days, proof of her talent if it was needed.

That was almost 2 years ago. Today, my limited edition CD’s that I am entitled to for being one of the believers dropped onto my doorstep, and I couldn’t wait to hear the final production.

I was – once again – blown away by the talent. As I’ve previously mentioned, it’s not my normal choice of music genre, but the album is beautiful in every way. All 11 tracks are stunningly produced and showcase Ellie’s naturally angelic voice perfectly.

I could go on, but I’m no expert at reviewing music. I’m sure you have noticed already! I can only recommend that you preview the album on iTunes, or visit her website at EllieWilliams.co.uk. Feel free to let me know your thoughts on the album.

Download the album: or Amazon

Answers on a postcard please – or alternatively, and probably the better option, post them in the comments section below!

Now, I’ve never been a fan of Louis Walsh. He’s not funny, and not cool. But, he has made money and had huge success with Westlife and Boyzone so guess I shouldn’t be so judgmental, right? Ok, I will…

What the hell is he doing putting through the two most cocky, arrogant, and damn right annoying people I have ever seen appear on the X Factor. I am already praying – despite the fact I am not religious in the slightest – that the idiots are booted out next week. I’m sure that deep down they are nice guys – actually, I’m not certain of that at all. What I mean, though, is that they could be out killing people or something, but they’re not.

What is even more frustrating, is that not only are they annoying, but also not very good at singing – and look ridiculous too. Or, maybe I’m just getting a little old? I’m approaching 30 now after all, so maybe I just don’t ‘get’ the youth of today anymore!!

So, this is my one man campaign to PLEASE vote them out the competition next week – presuming it’s possible of course. Feel free to join my campaign by posting below! If you need a little inspiration, here’s a video for you;