The Apprentice 2023 winner Marnie Swindells says show caused her personal relationships to 'suffer'
'The Apprentice' 2023 winner Marnie Swindells has revealed how the "all-consuming" BBC reality show impacted her personal relationships.
'The Apprentice' winner Marnie Swindells' personal relationships "suffered" because of the show.
Lord Alan Sugar gave his £250,000 investment to The Bronx Boxing Gym owner in 2023 after she worked tirelessly for 12 weeks to impress the billionaire and his advisers Karren Brady and Tim Campbell.
However, because Marnie was "very consumed" during and after the hit BBC reality show, it put a strain on her family and romantic relationships.
She exclusively told BANG Showbiz: "It was all-consuming. The process of being on 'The Apprentice' is not just being on 'The Apprentice'.
"There's also the aftermath of interviews, of events, of PR, of expectation, of struggle.
"If you're just in the process - but especially if you win - heavy is the head that wears the crown, and I became very consumed.
"A lot of my personal relationships with family, romantically, all suffered because my focus became the show.
"And I'm glad it was because it's paid off now.
"And the people that love me enough survived that struggle with me and are here now to smell the roses with me.
"And it also, I suppose, in that sense, proved who was really, really truly with me."
Despite the period being tricky for Marnie and the rest of her family, they could not be prouder of what she did and has gone on to achieve.
The 30-year-old businesswoman added: "Well, it's just my mum. She is very proud of me, and she will tell everybody that - except me!
"She gives me a hard time, but I also think - I also credit that to why I have come so far.
"So, for example, when I told her I got onto the show, her response was, 'Well, that's good, but you haven't won it yet!'
"She's like me, and maybe I've adopted it from her - that sense of always wanting a bit more, it's not quite enough, just push a little bit harder, a little bit more, a little bit further.
"But [she] was very proud.
"I know at 'The Apprentice: You're Fired' [the BBC Two companion show] where it was announced that I won, she was in the audience crying - so she's not as tough as she makes out!"
Even though doing the programme was tough, she feels "incredibly blessed" to have been chosen as a candidate.
She said: "The whole all-encompassing experience has been life-changing in so many ways.
"Personally, my personal life, my commitment to the business, and the show has changed my priorities.
"From a business perspective, I've got opportunities now that I never would have had before the show, and it's just been incredible.
"I can't speak highly enough [about the show] - that's not to say it's not been hard and stressful as it has, but the overarching thing is just I feel incredibly blessed."
'The Apprentice' airs on Thursdays at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
