Rivers 'hired' as US Apprentice

Comedian Joan Rivers has been "hired" by business tycoon Donald Trump after winning Celebrity Apprentice in the US.

The 75-year-old beat poker champion Annie Duke in the final faceoff to win $250,000 (£165,000) for charity.

For their final task, the pair had to see who could create a better fundraising gala, including a pre-theatre party and silent auction.

Rivers' daughter Melissa, country star Clint Black and basketball star Dennis Rodman also took part in the series.

During the finale, which was aired live in the US from New York's Museum of Natural History, Trump's daughter and advisor Ivanka called Duke "phenomenal" and described her "as cool as a cucumber".

She also said she "admired" Rivers' tenacity and hailed as her as "a great role model".

But despite raising $300,000 more than Rivers during the final challenge which saw other recently fired contestants help out, the business mogul told Duke she was fired.

He told the she had been "tough, smart and ruthless" but Rivers' "level of strength and energy" had been "amazing".

There was no love lost between the two finalists, who had argued on numerous occasions on the show.

During the series Rivers had compared Duke to Adolf Hitler and made numerous disparaging comments about poker players in general.

Rivers' $250,000 will go to God's Love We Deliver, which brings meals to the seriously ill who are housebound.