Alan Sugar has admitted that the current YouView offering is a "carcass of the real experience", with a "minimum amount of features" at launch.

Lord Sugar was a high profile addition to YouView's board, and is one of the UK's most high profile businessmen.

However, the Apprentice star made a curious admission about the first offering from YouView at the launch, suggesting it was a long way from a complete service.

Template

"YouView will replace the Freeview box but the service at the moment is a template, the carcass of the real experience" said Lord Sugar.

"There are a minimum amount of features on board at the moment but what will happen in the next few years [we] will see many more providers come on board."

Lord Sugar believes that the prohibitively high price of the original boxes at £299 will drop quickly, with non PVR set-top boxes and boxes with a single tuner likely.

"In two years' time I wouldn't be surprised if there is a £99 box," he said.