The Apprentice's Lord Alan Sugar has 'asked' music legend to perform at his 80th birthday bash next year
The Apprentice boss, Lord Alan Sugar, turns 80 next March, and he wants a Grammy-winning singer to perform at his party, according to reports.
Billionaire Lord Alan Sugar has reportedly asked Sir Elton John to perform at his 80th birthday party next March.
The Candle in the Wind icon charges millions for private shows, but The Apprentice boss is hoping for a more favourable rate as they are pals, having been chairmen of football clubs in the 1990s and Elton previously singing at Lord Sugar and wife Ann's 40th wedding anniversary in 2008.
A source told The Sun newspaper's TVBiz column: "Lord Sugar is planning a proper celebration for his 80th and the guest list will be a who’s who of the showbiz, business and political worlds, so obviously he wants to make it a night to remember.
"He and Sir Elton go back a long way, and there have been conversations about Elton performing.
"Sir Elton is obviously one of the biggest performers in the world and normally having him play at a private party would cost a fortune.
"Lord Sugar isn’t known for throwing his money away either, so you can guarantee he’ll be negotiating hard."
The business magnate and Elton, who were chairman of Tottenham Hotspur and Watford F.C., respectively, will celebrate their milestone 80th birthdays just one day apart next March, with Lord Sugar on March 24 and the five-time Grammy winner following on March 25.
And the Amstrad founder has no plans to retire anytime soon, having inked a three-year deal with the BBC to create more series of The Apprentice, which celebrated its 20th season this year.
In January, Lord Sugar joked to The Sun newspaper: "Part of the contract is that the BBC’s got to provide me with an electronic Zimmer frame."
He added: "Three years will take me to about 82 by the time I’m finished. But I’ll carry on as long as the BBC want me to."
The Apprentice, which launched in 2005, sees aspiring entrepreneurs battle it out through business tasks to eventually win a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar.
On the show, he axes contestants by pointing his finger in their direction and brutally declaring: "You're fired."
But Lord Sugar admitted he will "know" when the right time is to hang up his finger.
He added: "I will know personally when it’s time for me to hang up my finger.
"As the footballers say, they hang up their boots, and I will hang up my finger.
"Right now, I’m happy about it."
