Lord Alan Sugar has come under fire after hitting out at actors in Liverpool-based BBC drama The Responder having Scouse accents.
The Apprentice star moaned he couldn’t understand what the stars including lead star Martin Freeman were saying.
Lord Sugar tweeted: “Why did the BBC make Martin Freeman speak with a Liverpool accent in The Responder.
“Hard to follow what he and other cast are saying.
“No disrespect to people of Liverpool they are nice down to earth people.
“My wife gave up watching she said she could not understand a word.”
Based on former Merseyside Police officer Tony Schumacher’s experiences, The Responder follows urgent response officer Chris Carson.
Former Hollyoaks actor turned director Matt Littler replied: “It’s…it’s set in Liverpool. That’s… I’m not sure how to answer.”
To which Lord Sugar said: “It might be set in Liverpool . I can understand Steven Gerrard. I can’t understand the character. Sorry but true.”
He said that while he thinks Freeman is a great actor he couldn’t understand him, adding: “I am sure Martin Freeman is great in it.
“He is a superb actor, but sorry I could not understand him and others in the cast.”
But fans online were less than impressed.
And Sue Lee, the former Print Editor and current columnist on the Liverpool ECHO also hit back.
She said: “So Alan Sugar can’t understand the Scouse accents on The Responder? Well I can’t understand what he’s going on about.
“As a born and bred Scouser I’m hypersensitive when non Liverpudlians try to imitate how I speak. Get it right and it’s flattering. Get it wrong and I’d sooner hear fingernails scraping their way down a blackboard.
“For my money Martin Freeman gets the Scouse twang spot on. Yes, it’s a bit thicker than the way I talk but, like the city itself, our tongue is a glorious hot-potch of people, languages and history.
“As someone once sang - it’s an accent exceedingly rare. Sorry Lord Sugar. If your ears can’t tune into that there’s only one thing for it - you’re fired!
