Apprentice boss Sir Alan Sugar has defended his treatment of contestant Katie Hopkins, after he was criticised for quizzing the single mother-of-two about her child care arrangements.Sir Alan Sugar on Sky NewsMs Hopkins, 31, from Exeter, Devon, dramatically turned down a place in the show's final over concerns about uprooting her family.Sir Alan said it would be "condescending" not to ask a mother from outside the capital how she would manage in practical terms if given a job in London.He also stressed that the requirements of The Apprentice winner, including a move to London, were clearly spelt out to contestants before the series began."Katie... I can't work her out," he told Sky News."They get a document right at the very beginning that tells them how much time they need to spend doing the show ... that Alan Sugar's job is in London and if that's inconvenient for you don't turn up."Dear Katie is swinging the lead a little bit when she says she didn't know about the final location."Ms Hopkins, who claimed before the contest that she was an "alpha female and a ruthless natural leader with a huge drive", has since been sacked from her real-life job with the Met Office.

I'm fired! Katie HopkinsThe row over Sir Alan's questioning comes ahead of tonight's final, in which this year's "Apprentice" will be named.

Finalists Simon Ambrose and Kristina Grimes will go head to head to win a £100,000-a-year job with Sir Alan.

The Apprentice boss said picking a winner would be his toughest decision in the show's three-year history.

"If I could employ both of them today I would and cancel the final tonight," he said.

"But ultimately there has to be a winner ... chosen for an extra little glint in my eye."

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