Alan Sugar reveals he has only ever changed ‘two or three nappies’ as a father
Lord Alan Sugar has opened up about not being a “modern day father”, revealing he has only ever changed “two or three nappies”.
The 72-year-old businessman, who has three children with his wife Ann Simons, discussed his parenting duties during an upcoming interview on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories programme.
"I was not at the birth of Simon, the eldest,” Sugar told the broadcaster of the birth of his first child.
"I was playing tennis. And I must admit I was not the modern day father."
When Morgan asked how many nappies the business tycoon has changed in his lifetime, Sugar estimated the number to be around “two or three.
"But by the time we were onto the third (child) not even Ann changed the nappies,” he added. “We had help."
During the interview, The Apprentice star expressed guilt over not being present during his children’s early years.
Asked whether he had any regrets over the amount of time he spent at work, Sugar said: “Compared to the modern father? Yeah.
"I was out working and I wouldn't get home until eight o'clock at night.
"The thing is that we are very normal people. We kept the children grounded and that's why they are normal people.”
However, maintaining a humble household is something Sugar described as “an achievement”.
“That's bigger than making the hundreds of millions or whatever you want to talk about.”
The interview may come as a surprise to Morgan and Sugar’s fans given their heated exchanges on Twitter over the years.
In 2012, Morgan suggested that President Donald Trump, who starred as the judge on the US version of The Apprentice, fire Sugar from the hit BBC show “for his impertinence”.
In response, Trump said that he wouldn’t do so as Sugar was making him money, before Sugar weighed into the discussion and criticised the famous pair.
“@realDonaldTrump @piersmorgan you are full of sh.. Trump you have no power over the UK apprentice, just like the Scottish people [sic],” Sugar tweeted.
@piersmorgan @Lord_Sugar I easily could but as long as Sugar is making me money (it's my show) I won't--unlike Sugar, I'm not stupid!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump)
@realDonaldTrump @piersmorgan you are full of sh.. Trump you have no power over the UK apprentice, just like the Scottish people .
— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar)
A year later, Sugar and Morgan got into another argument over football, which saw the BBC star call the Good Morning Britain presenter a “stupid cretin”.
@piersmorgan shut up you stupid cretin.it's September and his first game to impress. Let's see how he is in Feb in the cup or at Newcastle
— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar)
However, last June Morgan jumped to Sugar’s defence after he was branded “racist” for sharing a photograph of the Senegal football team, likening them to beach sellers.
Sugar initially refused to apologise for the tweet but later removed the post and said he was “very sorry” for the joke, which he claimed had been “misinterpreted”.
In light of the backlash, Morgan tweeted his support for the star.
“I've known @Lord_Sugar for 25 years,” the broadcaster tweeted.
I've known @Lord_Sugar for 25 years.
He can be a halfwit of biblical proportions, and prone to terrible 'jokes' as we saw today.
But he's not a racist.— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan)
“He can be a halfwit of biblical proportions, and prone to terrible 'jokes' as we saw today. But he's not a racist.”
Earlier this year, Russell Brand was accused of sexism after revealing he had never spent 24 hours in sole charge of his children.
Speaking to The Sunday Times Magazine, Brand said his wife, Laura Gallacher, would never leave him alone with the children for more than one day because “she respects and cares for them too much”.
Piers Morgan's Life Stories airs on Saturday 22 June at 9.35pm on ITV.
