British journalist-turned-U.S. TV talent show judge Piers Morgan beat country star Trace Adkins to win Thursday night’s live final of Donald Trump's Celebrity Apprentice.

Morgan won the battle - billed by Trump as "good versus evil" - by raising the most money for his chosen charity, thanks to a little help from music mogul pal Simon Cowell, who handed over $100,000 for a shopping trip with Trump’s daughter Ivanka.

Former British royal Sarah Ferguson and musical maestro Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber also stepped in, with the theatre impresario donating a pair of opening night tickets for the Phantom of the Opera sequel he is currently writing.

They helped Morgan raise $376,000 at an auction he held for his charity Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund - which helps soldiers wounded in combat and the families of those killed at war. His win guaranteed the charity a further $250,000.

But Morgan’s tactics in beating rival Adkins didn’t win him fans in the U.S. Network bosses at NBC have been inundated with complaints about his ruthless style.

Trump, however, paid tribute to the man he described as a "vicious guy", saying, "You did an amazing job and you beat the hell out of everybody. And you won by far more than anybody."