[Arneldo]

JONATHAN Ross is to pit his wits against Sir Alan Sugar — after signing up for Celebrity Apprentice.

He has joined the boys team for Comic Relief after Sir Alan asked him when he appeared on his chat show.

Wossie, 47 — who famously can’t pronounce his “Rs” — will pitch in with funnymen Alan Carr, 32, and Johnny Vegas, 36, on the March special. Once again the boys will take on the girls as they attempt to arrange a special night to raise charity cash.

And along the way, Sir Alan will be uttering his dreaded phrase: “You’re fired!”

An insider revealed: “Jonathan is the king of the crafty put-down, but can he handle Sir Alan?

“Obviously he has a bulging contacts book of star names he can call on for help. But whether or not he will be as good at sweet-talking Sir Alan as he is them remains to be seen.”

Beeb chiefs are going all-out for next year’s Comic Relief. They suspect viewers will need some top laughs to get them to part with cash during the credit crunch.

They have already signed up Gavin & Stacey duo James Corden, 29, and Ruth Jones, 41, to perform a comical reworking of Cinderella. A source said: “Next year could be a tough one for the fundraiser. As rising prices hit people hard, they may be less willing to dig deep for charity.

“By getting some big names on board for the telethon night we hope we can convince them to think again.”

Sun