It’s a knockout!

Boxing champ Marnie beats rival to win The Apprentice and vows to help women stay safe

APPRENTICE winner Marnie Swindells has hit back at critics who have compared the show to Love Island, saying it is possible to be both glamorous and a serious businesswoman.

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

However, despite the final being an all-female affair, the programme has been accused of dumbing down and selecting contestants who look like they belong on Love Island.

Exclusively speaking to the Daily Mail, Ms Swindells said: ‘Women can have it all, and to say we have to pick between being glamorous and being good businesswomen is an insult. We can do both and we can do it all.

‘It is okay for women to be online and be expressive and show their fashion, their make-up and hair. Time has moved forward, and we are in a more digital age.

‘The saying “get yourself a woman that can do both” shouldn’t even exist. It goes without saying that we are all of those things.

‘Women can take on many hats and be many different people and it really is an unfair narrative.’

Ms Swindells, a court advocate from Manchester, impressed Lord Sugar during the winner-takes-all task after pitching her boxing gym to hundreds of industry experts.

And now she 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, she hopes her boxing business Bronx can help women regain power on the streets.

Ms Swindells, 28, said: ‘One thing I am really passionate about is to teach the real skill and the real technique. I think often women get palmed off with Boxercise and Boxfit – but those classes won’t keep you safe.

‘If you ever do need to throw a punch and protect yourself it is really important women know how to transfer the weight into a punch and really take care of themselves.

‘I’m a huge advocate of teaching real boxing even if you have no ambitions to fight. We need the real deal.’

Ms Swindells, who grew up in a caravan following her father’s death when she was just eight years old, successfully fought off competition from 17 candidates in what was the 17th series of The Apprentice which saw contestants take part in a series of tasks.

She was put through her paces by Karren Brady and Tim Campbell, who was the first winner of the show in 2005, and was quizzed on her plan by business titans Claude Littner, Mike Soutar and Linda Plant

‘We can do it all’