Sorry your web browser is not fully supported.

Unfortunately Internet Explorer 7 and below have issues with web standards which will affect most modern websites and applications.
We recommend that you make the switch to a compliant browser such as FireFox, Safari, Google Chrome or Internet Explorer 8.

Real Business

We love Raef Bjayou

By Matthew Rock, published 1 year ago in Archive.

Episode one of The Apprentice, and Sir Alan Sugar has already done for the lawyer. As for the self-proclaimed entrepreneur with the buffoned hair, this boy could go far.

Share

He looked 12, sounded posh and, worst of all, he's a barrister with a name that sounded like a Wiltshire village. With hindsight, poor Nicholas de Lacy-Brown didn't stand much of a chance in episode one of The Apprentice. To make a bad gig worse, poor Nick wasn't too great at pricing wet fish; and if there's one thing we know about Sir Alan Sugar, it's that he likes a man that can price, and shift, stuff.

As usual in the first test, Sir Alan sent his apprentices off to do a basic selling job. Last year, it was fruit; this time, it was fish in Islington market. You can't help thinking that this first task favours the girls who, let's face it, are more likely to wangle a few late pennies from London shopkeepers by flashing their eyelashes. (Cue angry emails.) Sure enough, the ladies pipped the lads in a distinctly inauspicious performance by both sides.

Personally, I'm most cheered by the cult following that "entrepreneur" Raef Bjayou already seems to be garnering. Looking strangely reminiscent of seventies soap icon Kate O'Mara, our entrepreneurial friend got the biggest cheer of the night in Adrian Childs' follow-on programme on BBC2, The Apprentice - You're Fired. With his extraordinarily loooooooong, drawn-out phrasing, quite frankly mad hair, and deliciously snooty references to other "mere mortals", I think we may have a star entrepreneur on our hands.

Overall, a pretty good start to the latest series. Sir Alan looks as if he's up for this one. "This is a business bootcamp", he announced to the poor would-be apprentices. And we'll be in the front row.

Related storiesSir Alan Sugar: "they call me a wanker and then they lose £1bn"Alan Sugar's new entrepreneur apprenticeSir Alan Sugar: women employers are more ruthless than menRaef Bjayou, The Apprentice and the blogs

Share

| More

4 comments.

Comments are now closed.

  1. Ana 1 year ago.

    I love him. I would love it my child carried him or herself as Raef does. Speaks so wonderfully and a gentleman. Raef to win all the way

  2. Finnieston Crane 1 year ago.

    They're both utterly despicable human beings. Not even human beings.

    Still, Raef's inane utterings make fantastic TV.

  3. Kam 1 year ago.

    Raef is good TV entertainment. As far as being an entrepreneur, he is not convincing at all. You can find his profile and website link on alibaba. More information from companies house webcheck. There is little information available to support his claims. Anyone can buy a readymade company, post their details on alibaba and get someone to make a flashy website for very little money.

  4. Clix 1 year ago.

    The guy is cool,funny, Its a shame he is gone, I wonder who this years winner is gonna be.

    http://www.clix-publishing.blogspot.com

Editor's Comment

Matthew Rock

By Matthew Rock.

I've discovered the biggest General Election issue that won't get discussed. It's costing us somewhere between £60bn and £140bn.... Read this comment in full »

Read all comments »

Carbon Trust Real Business
Poll in association with the Carbon Trust