Alan Sugar ‘quite happy’ to continue using Twitter, but has no plans to buy it

Lord Alan Sugar has said he remains “quite happy” to use Twitter, but has no desire to own the social media site.

The businessman, who stars in the 17th series of BBC reality show The Apprentice, said he had left that to Elon Musk “who has spent a few pennies on buying it”.

Lord Sugar, 75, has more than 5.2 million followers on the platform – which was purchased by Mr Musk in October, and regularly posts about the long-running programme and his various companies.

He told the PA news agency: “I’m quite happy to use it, but I don’t want to own it. I’ve left that to Mr Musk who has spent a few pennies on buying it.

“I use Twitter as my message board, my right of reply if you like, to the media.

“I see myself as being able to talk about what I want to talk about, and on many occasions be able to reply to nonsense that comes either from the media or from other people.

“I use it as a very useful tool. (It’s been) fantastic, not only for me, but for my candidates, my winners. Of course, their exposure on social media gets much bigger once they join the show.”

Lord Sugar said he had no interest in “non-touchy feely” website-based businesses such as Spotify, Google or dating apps.

He said: “I’m a businessman, I’m looking for a good business to invest in, things that have changed dramatically over the years are these kind of non-touchy feely products, businesses – things I’m not interested in.

“I’d prefer people to make something or provide a service of some kind, we’ve got the options for that here.

“I personally, I’m interested in something new, another business that I haven’t been in. It’s also like starting from scratch for me.”

Lord Sugar later clarified what he meant by non-touchy feely businesses.

“People with websites that are going to do this and that…I’m not interested in all those, Spotifys and Googles and all this type of stuff,” he said.

“This is the new wave of young people that think they’ve come up with some new website for dating or whatever. I’m not interested in that stuff really. Let someone else get on with that.”

The Apprentice has whittled down 18 candidates to the final two competing to win a life-changing investment of £250,000 from Lord Sugar.

The final on March 23 on BBC One at 9pm will see boxing gym owner Marnie Swindells and hair guru Rochelle Anthony go head-to-head to win the investment for their respective businesses.

Lord Sugar said: “They are two worthy finalists, there’s no question of that. I always say the cream comes to the top and they worked very, very well through the course of the 12 weeks.

“They deserve to be where they are. I have a dilemma on deciding eventually, which one I’m going to choose as the winner.

“(Over the years) it’s actually got a bit harder because the quality of the candidates are getting better and there’s so much good talent in there among the others.

“I won’t say all 18 were contenders, but certainly five or six of them were contenders.”

He added that the series on a whole “went very smoothly”.

The Apprentice final air on March 23 at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.