Lord Alan Sugar says it is time to get 'bums back in the office'

Lord Alan Sugar, star of the BBC show "The Apprentice," believes that apprentices, and indeed all other employees, should return to the workplace. He told the BBC, "They have to get back to the office."

The businessman-turned-TV personality has joined the ongoing debate since the rise of working from home following the Covid pandemic. Known for his sharp skepticism, Lord Sugar has also described Brexit as "the biggest disaster of my lifetime."

He argues that "now, the full consequences of us not being in the EU are starting to really show," and suggests that rejoining the EU might help the UK out of its current predicament. He stated, "If I was the Prime Minister, I would get on my knees and beg to be let back in."

Speaking on BBC Breakfast to celebrate the launch of series 19 of "The Apprentice," Lord Sugar also said he thought using artificial intelligence (AI) was "a bit of cheating." He stated that while contestants are not allowed access to the internet, phones, or calculators, the show is trying to choose tasks that keep up with modern technology. However, despite AI being increasingly used by job seekers and recruiters in the real world, he does not approve.

He argued, "If you are using it to write your CV and big yourself up, that's not right, is it?" As for working from home, he would make exceptions for software writers who "suddenly have a brainwave at three o'clock in the morning" and for people with disabilities. However, he believes everyone else needs to start interacting more with their colleagues, particularly apprentices. The problem is that many young people "just want to stay at home."

"I am very much in favor of them getting back into the workplace because the only way an apprentice learns is by learning from their colleagues." He believes that "little things like interacting with senior colleagues show you how to do this, how to do that. That's what is lacking in this work-from-home, Zoom culture."

Lord Sugar's comments come after former Marks & Spencer chairman Lord Stuart Rose said earlier this month that working from home was "not real work." Lord Sugar himself was actively involved in business from a young age. At 12 years old, he was boiling beetroot for a local greengrocer before going to school.

He made his first million dollars selling some of the earliest personal computers. He founded and floated his company Amstrad before moving into other business ventures and then into show business. His current personal wealth is estimated to be over £1 billion. While his views are outspoken and wide-ranging, he has limited similarities to another former "Apprentice" host. He has no political ambitions.

He stated, "I have no intention of running for Prime Minister because it's an unsustainable and thankless job."