Well-known business magnate and TV personality, Lord Sugar has accused Gordon Ramsay's BBC show of being a "virtual rip-off" of The Apprentice.

Lord Sugar, who has been at the helm of The Apprentice since it first aired in 2005, attacked the celebrity chef's show, Future Food Stars.

In an interview with the DailyMail Online, Sugar said that Gordon Ramsay should "stick to the day job" in an attack on his popular TV show now going into its second season.

He said that "Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV have tried for many years — at least for 17 years — to try and replicate the elimination process of The Apprentice," adding: "I say this with great respect to them but they’ve failed. Last year, Gordon Ramsay had some cockamamie idea.

“I like Gordon and I think he’s very good and should stick to what he should do: cooking and all that stuff. I don’t know how the lawyers allowed it because it was a virtual rip-off of The Apprentice.

"No disrespect to Gordon but stick to your day job, mate. That’s all I would say.”

The Scottish-born chef is well-known for his reality cookery shows which span popular franchises like Hell's Kitchen and Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares.

Gordon's new show, which first aired on BBC One last year, involves 12 contestants battling through a series of tasks in order to win an investment into their culinary business ideas.

The Apprentice similarly involves 18 contestants competing to win £250,000.

Previously, Gordon acknowledged the shows' similarities, saying: “It’s a food and drink lifestyle business show,” telling the Radio Times: “So fingers crossed, it’s going to rub Alan Sugar’s feathers the wrong way.

"I think I’ve lost a customer there. Who gives a f***? But all jokes apart, I’m a big fan of The Apprentice.”