Sugar may not be sweet for MP

MP Lembit Opik is in the firing line in the celebrity version of The Apprentice television show after leading the boys' team to a heavy defeat.Set a challenge of making the most money out of opening a shop in just three days during 'Sport Relief Does The Apprentice', the boys' team lost by nearly £100,000 - despite having the amount they raised doubled by Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, father of their celebrity PA Tamara.

Now the Montgomeryshire MP - as leader of the losers - will be one of the favourites to be fired by show boss Sir Alan Sugar.

This is all set to happen when the second part is shown during tomorrow's Sport Relief telethon, especially after his leadership skills were criticised by his team-mates.

Lembit became team leader when comedian Hardeep Singh Kohli stood down after 45 minutes as ex-Sun editor Kelvin MacKenzie likened his leadership style to Adolf Hitler's.

Analysing what had gone wrong, Lembit told Sir Alan: "We had a total breakdown of the group."

Hardeep said: "It seems to me the team was simply unleadable. Lembit undermined the project."

But Kelvin praised the MP, saying: "Lembit brought some calm where there previously had been none and we should be grateful to him for that."

However, Lembit was also criticised for failing in his negotiations with the rival girls' teams over which gimmicks each would have.

After opening the negotiations, he immediately withdrew after the girls' first offer, saying he could not respond without running it past the rest of his team - a decision met with disbelief by his team-mates.

Afterwards, Hardeep said: "Lembit is no leader."

The boys, whose team also included former cricketer Phil Tufnell and comedian Nick Hancock, sold tickets worth £67,805 for their shop opening and made a total of £316,013, thanks to Bernie Ecclestone.

The girls' team, led by Ann Summers' boss Jacqueline Gold and including model Lisa Snowdon, former pop star Louise Redknapp and TV presenters Clare Balding and Kirstie Allsopp, raised £412,121, including £242,840 from ticket sales. The combined amount means more than £728,000 will go to Sport Relief.

* Part two of Sport Relief Does The Apprentice will be shown during Sport Relief 2008 on BBC tomorrow.

By Jon Ball