{"id":530249,"date":"2025-10-27T01:54:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T01:54:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/530249\/"},"modified":"2025-10-27T01:54:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T01:54:19","slug":"the-apprentices-marnie-swindells-admits-life-has-been-a-rollercoaster-after-winning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/530249\/","title":{"rendered":"The Apprentice’s Marnie Swindells admits ‘life has been a rollercoaster’ after winning"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Apprentice 2023 winner Marnie Swindells opens up candidly about business, heartbreak and her dreams for the future since Sir Alan Sugar backed her boxing gym dream..\"MarnieBoxing brand owner Marnie opens up on the highs and lows of life since winning The Apprentice<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been two years since Marnie Swindells won The Apprentice <\/a>2023, securing Lord Sugar\u2019s backing and a \u00a3250,000 investment to grow her boxing<\/a> gym brand, Bronx. Since then, the former barrister turned entrepreneur has faced the highs of TV success and business growth, as well as some deeply personal lows.<\/p>\n

Here, Marnie sits down with the Mirror<\/a> to reflect on her journey, how she survived an incredibly tough year, and why she\u2019s dreaming of a villa in Greece<\/a>\u2026<\/p>\n

Hi Marnie! Two years on from your Apprentice win, how do you look back at that moment now? <\/strong>It feels surreal, actually. Winning was something I\u2019d worked towards for such a long time, and when it happened, life felt like it was finally falling into place. I came away with Lord Sugar<\/a> as my business partner, \u00a3250,000 for my gym, and the belief that I could take on anything. But if I\u2019m honest, life after the show wasn\u2019t as smooth as it might have looked from the outside.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: Primark’s ‘perfect’ \u00a326 boots look ‘just like’ \u00a31,690 designer pair<\/a>\"MarnieWinning the show transformed Marnie’s life, she says\"MarnieShe’s faced some crushing lows, however including her boxing gym being broken into<\/p>\n

What do you mean by that? <\/strong>You win the show and you feel invincible\u2014but for me, everything came crashing down at the same time. I went through the breakdown of an 11-year relationship in which I was engaged. That was devastating. Suddenly I was facing life and business on my own, and it was incredibly tough. And that was all happening while you were trying to launch Bronx? <\/strong>Yes. The pressure was enormous\u2014on one hand, I was Lord Sugar\u2019s new business partner, but behind closed doors I was going through heartbreak and huge personal challenges.<\/p>\n

I had to keep showing up, smiling, and delivering, even when I was barely holding it together. I think a lot of women\u2014especially working mums\u2014can relate to that idea of putting on a brave face while dealing with something difficult in private. That sounds incredibly difficult. And you had even more setbacks at the time, didn\u2019t you? <\/strong>It honestly felt like life was treating me like a punchbag. The same week as our launch party, my living situation changed unexpectedly. I ended up moving into a place that didn\u2019t have electricity or running water\u2014I was charging my lights at the gym, then heading to glamorous events as if everything was fine. In that same week, the gym was broken into, and I even received a death threat. It was just one thing after another.<\/p>\n

\"SirMarnie and Lord Sugar chat on a weekly basis, she says(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

How did you cope with all of that? <\/strong>It was a real fight-or-flight moment. There was a huge part of me that wanted to run away from it all, but the business needed me more. I\u2019d made a commitment to Lord Sugar and to the people in Bronx, and I had to honour that. It\u2019s taken me time, but looking back now, I\u2019m proud that I didn\u2019t give up. And what\u2019s your relationship with Lord Sugar like now? <\/strong>We speak weekly, and he\u2019s been very supportive and patient. I think one reason our partnership works is because I\u2019m completely transparent with him. I don\u2019t just tell him the good news, I tell him the tough stuff too. He respects that. Business is never just an upwards curve\u2014there are highs and lows, peaks and troughs\u2014and he knows I\u2019ll always be upfront with him. Do you and Lord Sugar WhatsApp each other? <\/strong>Yes, haha – I have him on WhatsApp<\/a>, but he\u2019s a very busy man. We don\u2019t exchange holiday snaps, but maybe if I hit ten Bronx gyms I\u2019ll finally get an invite onto his yacht. That would be nice! On the show, you were also closely watched by Baroness Karren Brady. Did she inspire you? <\/strong>Absolutely. Karen<\/a> is the kind of woman you can\u2019t help but admire. She walks into a room and instantly commands respect. She\u2019s glamorous, stylish, but also fierce\u2014you don\u2019t mess with her. I actually said once that she was to football what I want to be to boxing: a powerful, unforgettable figure in a male-dominated world<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"She admits Karren Brady is a woman you ‘can’t help but admire'(Image: BBC)<\/p>\n

Speaking of boxing, who are your favourite fighters? <\/strong>Claressa Shields is a big inspiration. She\u2019s bold, confident, and a real trailblazer. Then on the other side you have Katie Taylor, who\u2019s so humble and quiet in her approach, but such a phenomenal talent.<\/p>\n

On the men\u2019s side, I\u2019d probably say Oleksandr Usyk\u2014he talks a lot about discipline, and how you can\u2019t just rely on motivation, and that really resonates with me. Would you ever step back into the ring yourself? Maybe even for Misfits boxing? <\/strong>For the right opportunity\u2014and the right money\u2014I\u2019d absolutely consider it! But it would take a lot to drag me away from the boardroom now. Outside of sport, which women in business inspire you? <\/strong>Emma Grede is a big one\u2014I love her authenticity and her directness. Grace Beverley<\/a> too; I honestly don\u2019t know how she manages to do so much. And of course, you can\u2019t talk about women in business without mentioning the Kardashians. They\u2019re the ultimate success story\u2014they\u2019ve built an empire, reinvented themselves countless times, and everything they touch turns to gold. People can say what they like, but I think they\u2019re geniuses when it comes to business.<\/p>\n

\"MarnieMarnie admits she’s ‘never been drunk’ in her entire life(Image: PA)<\/p>\n

We hear you don\u2019t drink alcohol at all. Is that right? <\/strong>Yes, I\u2019ve never drunk or been drunk in my life! I don\u2019t like the idea of losing control, but I do love being around my friends when they\u2019re drinking and then reminding them what they did the next day. The only downside is I don\u2019t drive, so I\u2019m not the designated driver either! Looking ahead, what are your goals for the future? <\/strong>With Bronx, I want to open ten more gyms and make boxing accessible to as many people as possible, especially women. Personally, my dream is to one day build my own home. I grew up in a caravan, so I\u2019ve always longed for that stability. Long-term, I\u2019d love a little villa in Greece, with a hot husband and some kids\u2014that would be the ultimate dream.<\/p>\n

Follow Mirror Celebs on<\/strong> Snapchat<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> Instagram<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> Twitter<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> Facebook<\/strong><\/a>,<\/strong> YouTube<\/strong><\/a> and<\/strong> Threads<\/strong><\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n