Sir Alan Sugar’s Apprentice advisors Nick Hewer and Margaret Mountford are set to sign up for the new Strictly Come Dancing series.

Hewer, 64, is said to be keener to take up the offer than Mountford,  56 - who was in particularly fine form in this year’s Apprentice series - but BBC bosses hope both will accept a £25,000 offer.

A source tells the Mail on Sunday, “They are the unacknowledged stars of The Apprentice and more and more people have been watching it because of them.

"They have really interesting, understated personalities and some of their reactions to what the candidates do in Sir Alan’s tasks are wickedly funny."

A BBC spokesperson says, “Nothing is confirmed yet."