The Apprentice 2023 final: Marnie Swindells WINS Lord Sugar’s £250k investment with boxing gym idea

Marnie Swindells was crowned the winner of The Apprentice on Thursday when Lord Sugar chose her to be his next business partner.

The court solicitor won Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment after his boxing idea battled stiff competition from Rochelle Anthony’s diverse hairdresser.

Choosing his winner in the final boardroom session of the series, Lord Sugar commented “I’m known to be a gambler, I’m going to try a new horizon” as he chose to gamble on Marnie’s business.

Initially, she was concerned about investing in her plan, since she had never run a business before, but eventually decided it was a better option than Rochelle’s second hair salon.

Watching the scenes at home play out, viewers were quick to praise Marnie as a ‘worthy winner’, while also commenting that Lord Sugar made the ‘right decision’ in casting her.

Delighted: Court lawyer won Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment after his boxing idea battled stiff competition from Rochelle Anthony’s diverse hairdresser

Marnie was a worthy winner! commented one viewer.

While another said: ‘Aw I’m so happy for Marnie! Well deserved.

“Well done Marnie, I wish you the best of luck with your new business – the right move by Lord Sugar I think,” said a third.

‘Yes Marnie! She knew it’ tweeted an excited fourth observer.

‘Worthy winner! Delighted with Marnie’ was the response of a fifth person.

With another agreeing with Alan’s decision as they wrote: ‘Right decision I think.’

It comes after Apprentice winner Marnie Swindells hit back at critics who compared the show to Love Island, saying it’s possible to be glamorous and a serious businesswoman.

The boxing champion beat out salon owner Rochelle Anthony to win the BBC1 contest and a £250,000 investment from Lord Sugar to franchise her gym.

However, despite the fact that the finale was an all-female affair, the show has been accused of dumbing down and selecting contestants who appear to belong on Love Island.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail, Ms Swindells said: “Women can have it all, and to say we have to choose between being glamorous and being a good businesswoman is an insult.” We can do both and we can do everything.

‘It’s okay for women to be online and be expressive and show off their fashion, their makeup and their hair. Time has advanced and we are in a more digital age.

“The saying ‘find yourself a woman who can do both’ shouldn’t even exist. It goes without saying that we are all of those things. “Women can take many hats and be many different people and it really is an unfair narrative.”

Ms Swindells, a judicial advocate from Manchester, impressed Lord Sugar during the winner-take-all task after introducing her boxing gym to hundreds of industry insiders.

Competition: Marnie beat Rochelle Anthony in nail-biting final to bag Lord Sugar’s massive investment

And now he says that following the tragic death of Sarah Everard in March 2021, who was killed by metropolitan police officer Wayne Couzens, and the murder of Zara Aleena last June, he hopes his boxing business in the Bronx can help women to regain power in the streets.

Ms Swindells, 28, said: ‘Something I’m really passionate about is teaching real skill and real technique. I think women are often fooled by Boxercise and Boxfit, but those classes won’t keep you safe.

“If you ever need to throw a punch and protect yourself, it’s really important for women to know how to transfer weight to a punch and really take care of themselves.” I’m a big advocate of teaching real boxing, even if you don’t have fighting ambitions. We need the real deal.

Reaction: Watching the scenes at home play out, viewers were quick to praise Marnie as a “worthy winner”, while also commenting that Lord Sugar made the “right decision” in casting her.