BBC’s The Apprentice is set to return for its landmark 20th series later this month – and the mortgage and property sectors will be firmly in the spotlight.

The new series, which launches on January 29, will feature a mortgage broker, an estate agent and a lettings agency owner among the 20 candidates competing for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment.

According to The Sun, BBC bosses have “pulled out all the stops” for the anniversary series, kicking things off with a high-profile trip to Hong Kong in the opening episode.

Lord Sugar is once again joined by Baroness Karren Brady and Tim Campbell, as the candidates battle through a gruelling set of tasks designed to test commercial instinct, leadership and resilience.

LONDON MORTGAGE BROKER

Among those hoping to impress is Nikki Jetha, a self-employed mortgage broker from Hornchurch, Essex.

Jetha, associate director at national mortgage broker Coreco, is also a mother of two and has spoken openly about her ambition to simplify the mortgage process and make it more accessible.

Speaking to The Sun, she said her inspiration comes from Kim Kardashian, adding: “Kim proved that you can be glamorous, family-orientated and a complete boss.”

Andrew Montlake, chief executive of Coreco, told Mortgage Soup: “Coreco encourages all of our people to follow their dreams.

“Nikki has our full support and we wish her good luck through the process.”

IN THE MIX

The estate agency world will be represented by Kieran McCartney, an estate agent from East London, who has made it his mission to rebuild public trust in the profession.

McCartney, director at McCartney & Partners Estate Agents, believes Lord Sugar could be the ideal business partner to help him reshape perceptions of estate agency.

He told The Sun: “Estate agents often suffer from a poor reputation, but we can change that. By combining my industry expertise with Lord Sugar’s guidance and resources, we can set a new standard for trust.”

HOUSING ENTREPRENEUR

Also flying the flag for the lettings sector is Andrea Cooper, a lettings agency owner from Barnsley, South Yorkshire.

At 46, Cooper is this year’s oldest candidate and brings significant life and business experience to the process.

She describes herself on LinkedIn as an “entrepreneur in private sector housing” and runs two businesses Andrea Lets and A W Estate Agents and has ambitions to develop a software system for short-term accommodation.

In a further twist, The Sun also reports that she is also a qualified midwife, having earned a first-class degree at the age of 40.

With three property professionals in the mix the 20th series of The Apprentice looks set to strike a chord with those across the mortgage, housing and lettings markets.

The Apprentice returns to iPlayer and BBC One from Thursday 29 January from 9pm and, for the first time ever, the boardroom will take place in Hong Kong for episode one.

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