Sir Alan Sugar faces choice between government post or BBC show

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In a fresh blow to the Prime Minister, the Apprentice star may now be forced to step aside from his post as "enterprise czar" or face the loss of his lucrative BBC programme.

Sir Alan lost his temper today as he faced questioning over his appointment as he attended the launch of a campaign in Gateshead to persuade more teenagers to take up apprenticeships.

When asked by a reporter if he was mere "window dressing" for Mr Brown, Sir Alan replied: "That's a very nasty question". But the tycoon faced bigger problems after David Jordan, the BBC's controller of editorial policy, made clear that there would be further discussions about his precise government role.

"We will discuss with him what he actually is going to do, what kind of role he thinks he is going to perform and then we will advise him on whether that's possible," he told BBC Radio 4's World at One.

Sir Alan said at the weekend that he had told the Prime Minister that he would not take up the post if it conflicted with his BBC job.

"I made it perfectly clear to Gordon Brown that there was nothing that I would do to compromise my position or the BBC's position in the investment we've made in enterprise by way of the Apprentice," he said.