Lord Sugar has pledged his commitment to the future of The Apprentice, but has a message for the BBC if they ever tried to replace him.
The business mogul can currently be seen presiding over the 17th series of the hit reality competition, in which candidates are put through their paces in the hope of winning a £250,000 investment from him.
Having been a part of the show since its inception in 2005, the 75-year-old has said there is “no reason” why he can’t continue until the show reaches its 25th milestone series.
Speaking to The Sun, he said: “There’s no reason why I can’t go on to do 25 years. I’m very fit, so I don’t know whether it stops at 20. But if I ever did stop, I get a feeling the BBC wouldn’t stop it. I think they would try to find someone new to do it and that’s where it may kill itself off.”
Pointing at the changes to the original US version, Lord Sugar continued: “When Donald Trump gave up his one in the US they got Arnold Schwarzenegger to do it. But he was pathetic — and Trump was bad enough. It really destroyed the format.
“If it was up to me, I think it should be, ‘Thank you very much, it’s been great, but maybe in ten years’ time we’ll bring it back’. like Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?, but with different characters hosting.”
Speaking of who he would choose to replace him, Lord Sugar said that “a lot of people underestimate” him and none of his rivals have “done as much” as him.
He said: “I’m not degrading people like [Dragons’ Den star] Peter Jones, because they’ve done a lot also.
“But none of them have done as much as I have. Who would I put in my place? I can’t think of anybody. There’s loads of people that would queue up.”
This Thursday will see Marnie Swindells and Rochelle Raye Anthony battle it out in the final of the current series, in the hope of being named Lord Sugar’s next apprentice.
The Apprentice concludes on Thursday at 9pm on BBC One.