Lord Alan Sugar dishes on Celebrity Apprentice and why he allowed Thomas Skinner to return for it

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Happy holidays! If you were Santa Claus, who would be on your naughty list this year?

I’m not going to comment on that. As you know, the BBC has rules about what its employees can say publicly, and I need to follow those guidelines. I can’t express personal or political opinions.

So, does that mean all the contestants on your Celebrity Apprentice Christmas specials automatically made Santa’s nice list?

That’s what makes it interesting! Usually, these people are showered with praise and told how wonderful they are. Then they come to me, and I tell them the truth – that their work isn’t very good. It’s a bit strange, really, almost like they enjoy the criticism. But it’s important to remember they aren’t getting paid; they’re doing it for charity, which is truly admirable.

What will you be making the brave contestants do in the two festive episodes?

The show’s participants traveled to Lapland, where they met Father Christmas and experienced the snowy, icy landscape with reindeer and sledges. They were divided into two teams and tasked with creating a unique Christmas biscuit. Back in London, they presented their creations to major supermarkets, and the winning biscuit was chosen. What’s really special this year is that the biscuits made on the show will actually be sold in stores, with all proceeds going to Children in Need.

Is the show now making its own stars? And have you made a decision about whether Thomas Skinner could return as a celebrity contestant?

It’s hard to say how many guests from my show over the past 20 years have really become well-known. I can only think of a few – Saira Khan did pretty well, then there’s Katie Hopkins, who everyone loves to dislike, and Thomas Skinner, who went on to appear on Strictly. But I don’t have any say in who comes on; the BBC finds these celebrities. It’s tricky because many of them are busy and can’t spare four or five days for filming. I often fantasize about having huge stars like Madonna, Adele, or that red-haired singer… Ed Sheeran, that’s his name.

So, it’s not a matter of you ringing up the Beeb and going, “Get me Piers Morgan”?

It’s ironic you mention him, actually. He was one of the original contestants on Celebrity Apprentice, and I was the one who eliminated him. I always point out to Piers that I gave him his first big break on television, but he insists he’d already been on TV before. Honestly, he’s just a very proud person and would never acknowledge it.

Did you enjoy Christmas when you were growing up in Hackney in the 1950s?

We weren’t a particularly religious Jewish family, but we enjoyed some of the fun traditions of Christmas. We’d decorate and I always looked forward to a Christmas gift. I especially remember getting a pair of metal roller skates – the kind with rubber wheels that you tightened with a wrench – when I was around ten or eleven. My parents had saved up to buy them for my siblings and me.

As I got older, I stopped giving traditional Christmas gifts. Instead, we would give our employees things like financial bonuses instead of physical presents.

Where will you be spending Christmas this year?

For the past 40 years, I haven’t spent Christmas in England. I divide my time between here and America, staying about five or six months of the year in the States, so I’ll be celebrating in Florida this year. Luckily, my family also has homes here, meaning we can all be together – including the grandkids, who are all grown up now! We’re planning a large, traditional British Christmas dinner at home, complete with turkey and all the trimmings.

Won’t you miss cold, rainy old Hackney?

No.

Will you be having any special Christmas treats?

My wife surprised me today by bringing home chestnuts – my absolute favourite! It really feels like Christmas now. It reminds me of when I was a kid and the chestnut vendors would be on Oxford Street. They had these black ovens heated with coal, and the warm chestnuts would sit right on top. You could get a paper bag full for just sixpence back then.

The Celebrity Apprentice is coming to BBC One and iPlayer this Christmas.

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2025-12-09 20:39