Can’t wait for the interviews

Posted in Latest News, Nicky's Blog by Nicky on December 5th, 2009

The public were shocked at Lucinda going but I realised this week the person most shocked was Lucinda herself. It seems Lucinda has been analyzing the firing since then and in a way I don’t blame her. One thing is for sure the girl has kahoona’s! She was sure to let Bill know how regretful he will be in a year’s time, the best was Lucinda pouncing on Jackie in the Newstalk interview, it was hand bags at dawn with Lucinda standing her ground and telling Jackie what’s what! Brave woman!

Monday night’s episode is the dreaded gut wrenching interviews! The candidates better be prepared for the roasting of their lives. At least they were more prepared from watching last year but I guarantee any skeletons they think are well and truly hidden will raise their ugly heads. They contact everybody and anybody to dig the dirt! Who will spill on which candidate? Nail biting stuff!
It is a living nightmare where I experienced all over bruising from pinching myself to wake up! Any inflated ego’s or know it all attitudes will be sucked out, including a part of your dignity and soul:) It is that bad! The public see about 2 – 5 minutes of each interview but actually they are about 45 minutes each, all apprentice bashing! I remember the production crew and drivers commented that in all the tasks which we stayed up all night they had never seen us so exhausted. It is mentally and emotionally challenging and one of the hardest tasks. The most frustrating part I found was when the panel try and fabricate a story or go down a route totally irrelevant. Each of us last year hated different interviews but my worst was Gavin Duffy! When I entered the room he was sunshine lollipops and as the interview started he just started hitting me with grenades of accusations! At one point he picked up my CV and basically threw it at me. What they aired was my initial shock and stumbling slightly but what you didn’t see much of was me defending myself but not aggressively, they try and get you to lose the head! I had an Ally Mc Beal moment where I saw myself being lifted from my body, jumping over the table and drop kicking him whilst actually grinning through greeted teeth. I thankfully managed to hold my composure. You think you have done terribly but they are looking for certain attributes and he gave me the best feedback to Bill!!

In hindsight the interviews were a great experience, if I was able to get through personal and professional assassinations of this kind I am able to face any difficult situation or person. Your confidence builds and no person or interview seems intimidating. It gave me the guts to take more risks and not fear rejection so much. This is the one task where you are responsible for your fate and there is no one to blame. It is the last leg and the candidates will already be exhausted, nerve racking knowing their past or reaction to interviews could cost them the final. They all seem very confident in the unseen footage but it is human nature to get defensive, who can keep this under control.
The word on the street is not to miss this episode. Some shock revelations are unfolded and there is a lot of squirming and cringe moments! I feel for Ger, Steve and Stephen this week. It is really tough and a serious test in self control. The public have a love/hate relationship with these episodes, you want to look away but you can’t. It is going to be interesting!!! Who will survive the storm?

Nicky