Lord Sugar has come under fire for spreading a 'dangerous' claim that the coronavirus was invented in China.
The entrepreneur and star of BBC One's The Apprentice took to Twitter to share a post with his 5.3 million followers that claimed the deadly virus was created by the Chinese.
The post suggests that a Japanese Professor named Dr Tasuku Honjo believes that COVID-19 did not occur naturally or come from bats but was manufactured in a laboratory.
Lord Sugar, 73, shared without comment the lengthy post claiming to come from the scientist that read: "Based on all my knowledge and research to date, I can say with 100 per cent confidence that corona is not natural.
“It did not come from bats. China made it.
"If what I say today turns out to be false now, or even after I die, the Government can withdraw my Nobel Prize.
“But China is lying and the truth one day will be revealed to all."
Lord Sugar's followers immediately began to criticise his decision to share the false post.
"You're fired," many told him.
"It's fake mate," added another.
While historian Greg Jenner urged: "Please delete this. It's fake news and very dangerous."
As the criticism grew, Lord Sugar returned to the site to respond: "I just passed it on. I didn't write it."
He then added: "Looks like, to quite Donald Trump, that was fake news..."
Boris Johnson returned to the Downing Street coronavirus press conference today to claim Britain was 'past the peak' of the deadly virus.
"We are on a downward slope," said the Prime Minister adding that plans to lead the nation out of lockdown would be announced next week.
