Lord Sugar to Twitter users: Shut up 'dimwits' I ain't homophobic

Lord Sugar has denied accusations of homophobia after asking a Twitter user when he planned to "come out".

The Apprentice star, 66, responded angrily when William Bridges, from Bath, aimed a tweet at him which read: "@Lord_Sugar you are thick as shit."

Lord Sugar responded by referring to Mr Bridges' Twitter profile picture, in which he is pictured alongside a male friend.

The Amstrad tycoon tweeted: "Your twitter pic.

"When are you 2 coming out?"

.. @WilliamBridges2 RT: you are thick as sh... Your twitter pic . When are you 2 coming out ?

— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) January 19, 2014

The Mirror reports this prompted other Twitter users to wade in, with Josh Dibble remarking: "@Lord_Sugar @WilliamBridges2 Using sexuality as an insult, am disappointed by The Sugar!"

However, Sugar responded by saying: "Shut up you tw..

"Focus on insult to which I responded."

“ @JoshDibble : @WilliamBridges2 using sexuality as an insult, am disappointed !”.......shut up you tw.. Focus on insult to which I responded.

— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) January 19, 2014

Another Twitter user then asked Lord Sugar: "Sorry, how is [sic] you implying someone is gay as an attempt to insult them not homophobic?"

The Labour peer replied: "You dimwit refer to original insult from sender before you stand high and mighty."

“ @charlsgeorgeson : Sorry to insult them not homophobic?”....you dimwit refer to original insult from sender before you stand high and mighty

— Lord Sugar (@Lord_Sugar) January 19, 2014

However, some users supported the TV and business star, with one, known as Aggedor of Peladon telling detractors: "Stop trying to make it into something it isn't."

To this latter tweet, Lord Sugar simply added one word: "Correct."

Last week, Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson apologised for a photograph that he tweeted showing himself next to a sign that read “gay c*nt.”