packing

Lord Alan Sugar’s candidates on The Apprentice had a nasty surprise in the latest episode of the BBC programme as three hopefuls were eliminated from the competition

The Apprentice candidates had a huge shock as Lord Sugar sent three of them packing after a tense boardroom.

The latest episode of the hit series, which aired on Thursday (March 5), saw Megan Ruiter, Carrington Saunders and Andrea Cooper all shown the door in a surprise triple firing.

Megan admitted she was “absolutely devastated” about getting the boot from the BBC show, but Carrington said: “I can say it didn’t hurt as much because it wasn’t just me getting fired. So, it was more of a ‘wow’ moment opposed to something that was entirely sad. It wasn’t until a few days later in when the sadness kicked in.”

Andrea confessed that it was “a terrible task” for her but added: “I’m not saying I was surprised because by my calculations, it could have possibly been a triple firing that week. But if there were only going to be one or two fired, I didn’t think that it should have been me.”

The episode saw the candidates head to Egypt to put on corporate away days for paying clients.

One team headed off into the desert for a dune adventure and ended up with a bumpy ride, whilst the other set off on a lagoon tour, which was anything but smooth sailing.

Megan was the project manager in charge of organising the lagoon tour, having said she’d held 25 corporate events in the past.

But she found herself in the firing line after leading her team to a loss of $290 due to the clients asking for a 50% refund for their raw and cold food and their kayaking activity, which left them eating dinner in wet clothes.

Lord Sugar branded it as one of the worst performances in corporate hospitality, later posting on X (formerly Twitter): “I’ve seen some kitchen disasters in my time on The Apprentice, but this one takes some beating. ‘Unbelievable’ is the word.”

The businessman took Megan back into the boardroom for her performance as project manager, with Carrington alongside her after she served up the raw potato wedges. Andrea ended up joining them after she clashed with Kieran McCartney during a successful negotiation.

The trio all fought for their place in the competition but Lord Sugar was unimpressed, declaring there would be a rare triple firing as he showed all three of them the door.

“This is a b***** disaster,” he said. “An absolute disaster. One of the worst performances in corporate hospitality. So you can put that in your CV next.”

The Apprentice airs on BBC One

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The packing technique called the “brick method” allows you to pack four weeks’ worth of clothing in a small carry-on suitcase.

For those plotting a brief spring or summer escape this year, splashing out on a hefty suitcase for the aircraft hold often feels like overkill. This is where honing your packing prowess becomes essential, whether you’re taking a small carry-on, a rucksack, or a holdall into the cabin.

Packing cubes have become a hit amongst globe-trotters on social media for their ability to organise belongings and optimise space. Yet, you must deploy them correctly to reap their full benefits.

TikTok user @kelsifymecapn has demonstrated that a straightforward packing technique can prove equally efficient, enabling you to squeeze four weeks’ worth of garments into a diminutive suitcase.

Kelsey captioned the video: “How to pack one month’s worth of clothes in only a carry-on suitcase.”

In this packing hack, dubbed the “brick method”, fold the trousers to a consistent size, then roll them up until they take on the appearance of a brick, thus explaining the name, reports the Express.

When it comes to bottoms with tie strings, fold them in half to conceal the ties first before rolling them up. Then, align the bottoms in a packing cube so the straps will compress the clothes.

Kelsey recommends wearing your bulkiest layers, like denim, on travel days to preserve space. Alternatively, lay them flat over the top before zipping your packing cube shut.

For tops and shirts, follow the same method as trousers – fold everything into a uniform size. Fold button-down shirts with buttons facing you to reduce bulk.

Tuck any hoods and vest straps inwards to minimise bulk. Kelsey explains: “Your items should become similarly sized ‘bricks’, so they’ll fit uniformly in the cubes.”

For those seeking alternative packing strategies to try out this summer and who’d rather skip the packing cubes, influencer Chantel Mila offers an excellent tip.

She suggests standing your suitcase upright instead of laying it flat on the floor, and arranging your belongings vertically in columns.

This approach not only maximises space but also provides a clearer view of all your items, making the unpacking process far simpler once you reach your destination.

Ryanair has told plane passengers to stop placing a simple item in their suitcases. Little you may know, it should never be packed away when travelling to a different country

Jetting off on holiday is always a nice thought, but packing can be stressful when there are so many different rules to follow. In fact, you need to take another piece of expert advice on board, as Ryanair has issued a key piece of essential travel wisdom.

It turns out, there’s a specific item you should never pack in your suitcase, and it’s something you need to know about before you board a plane. When it comes to air travel, there are very specific rules you should follow, and this is one that needs to be adhered to for a super important reason.

This isn’t the only key piece of advice the airline has shared recently either. Just weeks ago, it also told passengers to stop packing a key item in their hand luggage too.

The topic previously came up on Reddit, when one person asked: “So I bought a lighter and I’m wondering if it’s legal to go from Italy to the UK via plane with it. Googled it and got no result apart from one Reddit question, but it wasn’t specified where they were going, and I’m wondering about going from Italy to the UK.”

The question got a lot of people talking, and they were quick to respond with answers too. Many seemed to have different ideas.

One person said: “If it’s an ordinary lighter, you can bring it in your hand luggage (not checked), with no issues.” Another added: “The only time I had an issue was when I had more than one lighter on me. I was told I can only carry one.”

A third also replied: “I do it all the time without any problems.” However, when travelling on planes, there are actually important rules you need to follow when carrying lighters.

It’s always best to check the airline’s guidance before you travel, but Ryanair has some vital information for customers to follow. There are some things travellers need to be aware of.

What does Ryanair say?

The Ryanair website states: “The following items are strictly prohibited on board and in checked baggage. Guns, firearms and other devices that discharge projectiles. Devices capable, or appearing capable, of being used to cause serious injury by discharging a projectile.

“Stunning devices. Devices designed specifically to stun or immobilise. Explosives and incendiary substances and devices. Explosives and incendiary substances and devices capable, or appearing capable, of being used to cause serious injury or to pose a threat to the safety of aircraft, including lighters and firelighters with a flammable liquid reservoir containing unabsorbed liquid fuel (other than liquefied gas), lighter fuel and lighter refills.”

It also listed all the other items that shouldn’t be placed in checked luggage, but there are some things you need to know about carrying lighters. Generally, you cannot pack lighters containing fuel in checked luggage, as they are considered a fire hazard in the cargo hold.

The safest and standard rule is to carry no more than one lighter on your person (in your pocket). Sometimes disposable or Zippo lighters without fuel are permitted in checked bags, but you should check what your airline’s rules are before flying.

Almost every airline bans lighters being packed in checked baggage, as the safety risk is considered too high. Torch or jet flame lighters are strictly prohibited in both checked and carry-on bags.

Another common item that’s generally banned is matches. You always need to be extra cautious when packing your suitcase.