The Apprentice Series 20 Launches with Double Firing

The 20th series of BBC's The Apprentice launched on Thursday with 20 ambitious candidates vying for a 250,000-pound investment and mentorship from host Lord Alan Sugar, only for two women to be fired in a dramatic first episode set in Hong Kong.

The contestants, a mix of entrepreneurs, actors, and business professionals, arrived in the bustling trading hub for their initial challenge: sourcing nine specific items at the lowest possible prices within tight deadlines. The task tested negotiation, logistics, and time management, but both the men's and women's teams faltered amid unfamiliar terrain and cultural barriers. The women's team, led by project manager Nikki Jetha, secured just two items and incurred penalties after half its members arrived nearly two hours late to the finish line. In a boardroom relocated overseas for the first time, Sugar dismissed Jetha, 33, a mortgage advisor, and Georgina Newton, 31, an actress and events manager, marking the earliest double firing in the show's history.

Newton, who described herself as the team's top contributor during the task, expressed devastation over the decision. "I think in the first episode, I probably contributed more than...