Hard graft has gone.. people want to turn up at 11 and take two hour gym breaks

Sugar hits out at modern work ethic as The Apprentice returns

- BY MARK JEFFERIES Showbiz Editor

HE has 18 hopefuls hungry for a £250,000 investment on The Apprentice - but Lord Alan Sugar thinks too many youngsters shy away from hard work these days.

One candidate on this week's show gets off to a shaky start by saying they like two-hour lunch breaks to go to the gym, although they insist they start work early to make up for it.

But asked for a response to young people prioritising a work/life balance over their career Lord Sugar, 77, said: "Yeah, well, work ethic has changed in my lifetime, it's getting too relaxed.

"I blame companies that have beds and allow people to turn up [at] 11 o'clock. Hard graft has gone in my view.