Week eight of The Apprentice made gripping TV, as we saw Lord Sugar’s shock triple firing of Apprentice 2017 candidates Andrew Brady, Anisa Topaz and Charles Burns.

Whether you felt it was brutal or not, his closing comment was spot on – the process is nearing the end and neither Charles, Andrew or Anisa were going to make it as his next business partner. So, it’s with regret…

With just weeks to go, the competition is starting to heat up, where the phrase “dog eat dog” will soon enter a whole new meaning for The Apprentice 2017 candiates. That said, who is starting to stand out as a real contender for investment?

With just two guys left in the running, the girls may well be heading for another win this year. Here are five of The Apprentice 2017 candidates I predict for the final.

Sarah Lynn

Sarah has been a strong contender from the word go, winning as PM in week one. Although this may not have been her strongest week, she is professional, proactive and confident and has been consistent throughout the entire process – which is key for business success.

Elizabeth McKenna

Love her or hate her, Elizabeth made some excellent decisions in this week’s episode – quickly realising that customers were beginning to talk about contrasting costs, when James abandoned the pricing strategy. Elizabeth took the honest approach and ensured all over-charged customers were refunded the difference. This paid off, building trust and resulting in additional sales.

A real marmite character, Elizabeth takes bossiness to a whole new level, but the woman can lead, she knows what she wants and she works hard to implement it.

Michaela Wein

Michaela has already proven she can succeed in business, with impressive achievements to date. What’s more, she stands out as another strong character, who is confident in her approach and works hard to overcome anything thrown her way.

This week being a prime example – where Charles left her and Jade to run the entire task. Michaela wasn’t afraid to get stuck in and quickly became the leader.

Jade English

Jade has proven week after week that she’s a real grafter – she isn’t afraid to get stuck in and is bottom line one of the best candidates when it comes to sales. In weeks where her team haven’t won, she’s always been one of the stronger members, and hasn’t yet been invited back to the boardroom.

James White

In recent weeks, James has started to really perform – demonstrating that he could have what it takes to become Lord Sugar’s next business partner. This week, he put himself forwards as PM for the second week running, and despite undermining the pricing strategy, he showcased that he can sell and that he can make strategic decisions.

The final five of The Apprentice 2017 candidates? Let’s watch and see…

Mark Wright is director of Climb Online and winner of The Apprentice 2014 – he’ll be back next week with lessons of the latest episode

Image source: BBC