The Apprentice: Rochelle Raye Anthony and Marnie Swindells make final
The Apprentice: Rochelle and Marnie make the final as a TRIPLE firing sees contestants narrowly miss out on Lord Sugar’s £250k investment
Lord Sugar has named Rochelle Raye Anthony and Marnie Swindells as The Apprentice finalists after whittling down his all-female Final Five.
The businessman, 75, fired Megan Hornby, Dani Donovan and Victoria Goulbourne in the penultimate episode of series 17, slashing their hopes of a £250,000 investment.
During the fan-favourite interviews week, some familiar faces returned, as the remaining entrepreneurs and their business ideas were interrogated by Lord Sugar’s trusted advisors, Linda Plant, Mike Soutar, Claude Littner, and Karren Brady.
A deep dive into their business plans revealed fictitious figures, crazy concepts, and absurd ambitions, with Megan, Dani and Victoria subsequently being given the boot.
In the boardroom, Lord Sugar said, ‘The thing is Victoria, there is nothing unique about your business.
Good for them! Lord Sugar has named Rochelle Raye Anthony (right) and Marnie Swindells (left) as The Apprentice finalists after whittling down his all-female Final Five
‘Frankly, you know I am not sweet on your idea I’m afraid. It’s been nice working with you, but it is with regret Victoria, that you’re fired!’
Victoria conceded, ‘Thank you for the opportunity, Lord Sugar, thank you Karren, thank you Tim.’
Lord Sugar continued, ‘Coming back to you Dani, your business plan was really, really bad. You know that.’
Dani said, ‘I would like to hope in this process I have proved that, even if my business plan might not be solid, I am definitely a solid businesswoman. I’ve made a profit on a business since I was 19 years old.’
Lord Sugar replied, ‘I am pleased for you about that, I am not sure there’s going to be any extension to your time in this process.
‘Dani, it’s been nice working with you, you’re a real bubbly character. Dani it is with regret – you’re fired.’
She responded, ‘Thank you all for the opportunity. Honestly, I’ve enjoyed every minute. Thank you’
Marnie, Rochelle and Megan then stepped outside as Lord Sugar discussed with Tim and Karren who should be in the final two.
Uh-oh: The businessman, 75, fired Megan Hornby, Dani Donovan and Victoria Goulbourne in the penultimate episode of series 17, slashing their hopes of a £250,000 investment
Final Five: Victoria, Rochelle, Dani, Megan and Marnie (L-R) had been in the running for Lord Sugar’s £250,000 investment
After bringing them back into the boardroom, Lord Sugar said, ‘You’re making this pretty hard for me here, My gut feeling tells me… Megan, you’re fired.’
Megan said, ‘I really appreciate the opportunity and everything I’ve learned here. It’s been an honour.’
Lord Sugar responded, ‘Keep in touch, keep in touch’.
Megan said in the taxi: ‘I might not have kept Lord Sugar sweet this time. But you know what I’m going out there and I’m going to work really hard, and I know I will be a success.
On Rochelle and Marnie’s success, Karren said: ‘Over the past eleven weeks both Rochelle and Marnie have proved themselves as strong leaders with adaptable skillsets.
‘It’s been a pleasure observing them and seeing how they have both grown and learnt from the process. I’m looking forward to the final and celebrating the success of finding another entrepreneur to secure Lord Sugar’s investment.’
Tim said: ‘These are two very deserving finalists with expertise in two very different industries. I’m in a unique position where I know exactly how the finalists feel being so close to the end and to become Lord Sugar’s next business partner.
‘Regardless of the outcome I know both candidates have bright futures ahead of them.’
Rochelle said: ‘I am so privileged and proud to be a finalist, it’s been such a rollercoaster of a journey.
‘But this is my chance to put my business and industry on a platform and show everyone what I am made of and do the pitch of my life, I am so ready, bring it on!’
Marnie said: ‘I am so happy to be in the final after 11 weeks of hard work and having to pitch everybody else’s products on tasks. This is now my opportunity to showcase what I’ve been working on and give my business the platform it deserves.’
The Apprentice will air on Thursday March 23 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Proud: On Rochelle and Marnie’s success, Karren (right) said: ‘Over the past eleven weeks both Rochelle and Marnie have proved themselves as strong leaders with adaptable skillsets’
Deserving: Tim said: ‘These are two very deserving finalists with expertise in two very different industries’
THE APPRENTICE 2023: MEET THE CANDIDATES
AVI SHARMA
Occupation: City banker
Location: London
Key info: Youngest candidate and believes that Lord Sugar’s investment will get him out of the “rat race” of city banking
He says: ‘Some say I’m delusional, I prefer the term optimistic.’
DANI DONOVAN
Occupation: Hair salon owner
Location: Hertfordshire
Key info: Believes she deserves to win the programme because her business fills a ‘huge gap’ in the market, saying: ‘It baffles me that no one has done it yet!’
She says: ‘I think I’m a different kind of business owner, someone who is a lot more relatable to people.’
EMMA BROWNE
Occupation: Senior account executive
Location: County Kildare
Key info: Laser focused on making her unique business idea a resounding success
She says: ‘I am disgustingly competitive. I will go to any lengths to win this investment.’
JOSEPH PHILLIPS
Occupation: Safari Guide
Location: Worcestershire
Key info: The “James Bond of the business world” with a degree in Zoology
He says: ‘If Lord Sugar wants to invest in a business to help save the ocean, one lip balm at a time, then I’m his guy.’
MARK MOSELEY
Occupation: Pest control company owner
Location: London
Key info: A former soldier who says he can ‘sell to anyone’ with the gift of the gab
He says: ‘If Lord Sugar doesn’t pick me, then he’s missing a trick.’
MEGAN HORNBY
Occupation: Sweet shop and café owner
Location: East Yorkshire
Key info: She says her business fills a gap in the market and has the potential to be nationally recognised.
She says: ‘I think that no matter what situation I am thrown into, I will always give one hundred percent truth, even if it’s hard to hear.’
ROCHELLE ANTHONY
Occupation: Hair salon and academy owner
Location: Bedfordshire
Key info: Describes herself as ‘tenacious, fierce and determined’ and says together with Lord Sugar they would be ‘an absolute force to be reckoned with.’
She says: ‘I’m always being compared to the Kim Kardashian of the business world because I’m doing business with a hint of glam.’
SHAZIA HUSSAIN
Occupation: Technology recruiter
Location: London
Key info: Wants to champion a varied representation of diverse women in the world of business
She says: ‘I don’t need any friends in business. I am here to win this.’
SOHAIL CHOWHARY
Occupation: Martial arts school owner
Location: Southampton
Key info: Raised in a council house and worked hard to create business and warns other candidates to be ‘wary’
He says: ‘I am calm and collected, but if they do come at me? I will bite and I will sting, and I will leave my mark.’
BRADLEY JOHNSON
Occupation: Director of construction company
Location: North Yorkshire
Key info: Self-made business that turns over half-a-million after being made redundant just four years ago
He says: ‘I have a business plan that will see us turn over seven figures after year three and who knows where else that could take us.’
DENISHA KAUR BHARJ
Occupation: Financial controller
Location: Leicestershire
Key info: Says she wants the investment opportunity because she wants to ‘be mentored by the best to be the best’
She says: ‘There’s only one Denisha Kaur.’
GREGORY EBBS
Occupation: Owner of an online antiques marketplace
Location: Shropshire
Key info: Previously worked as a professional cannon-firer in Malta
He says: ‘I would say, a willingness to try different things and not being afraid to be slightly different is one of my biggest strengths.’
KEVIN D’ARCY
Occupation: Accountant
Location: Dublin
Key info: Started his water sports equipment business during lockdown, whilst working in his job in the financial services
He says: ‘With Lord Sugar as my business partner, I know we can ride that wave into the UK and beyond…’
MARNIE SWINDELLS
Occupation: Court advocate
Location: London
Key info: A gold medal-winning boxer and imaginative businesswoman
She says: ‘I deserve Lord Sugar’s investment because I have given my blood, sweat and tears to my business.’
REECE DONNELLY
Occupation: Theatre school owner
Location: Glasgow
Key info: Is determined to become the first Scottish candidate to secure Lord Sugar’s investment and claims to be the youngest CEO of a further education college in the UK
He says: ‘I’m here to prove that Scotland is filled with forward-thinking entrepreneurs and that we are not in fact a haggis-eating, kilt-wearing nation.’
SHANNON MARTIN
Occupation: Bridal boutique owner
Location: West Yorkshire
Key info: Is hoping to be the first business partner to bring Lord Sugar into the lucrative bridal industry.
She says: ‘Lord Sugar needs to be my next business partner, so I can make him millions.’
SIMBA RWAMBIWA
Occupation: Senior sales representative
Location: Birmingham
Key info: Is a self-confessed ‘perfectionist’ who says his business will improve the quality of people’s lives
He says: ‘If people can’t buy into you, they’ll never buy anything from you.’
VICTORIA GOULBOURNE
Occupation: Owner of online sweet business
Location: Merseyside
Key info: Former flight attendant who started business in lockdown which grew into social media success
She says: ‘I’ve travelled all over the world and am not afraid to take on a challenge.’
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