How Lord Sugar is using The Apprentice to champion women in business by ... trends now
Rachel Woolford became the fifth successive female winner of The Apprentice this week as women continue to dominate the boardroom.
The gym owner, 28, won over Lord Sugar with her work ethic and business plan, sparking his decision to invest £250,000 of his own money into her firm and become a joint partner.
Her victory in Thursday night's final, in which she beat pie shop owner Phil Turner, 37, only enhances the long-running BBC series' reputation for championing women in business.
Indeed, the billionaire tycoon's sidekick Karren Brady says the show is a 'great platform' for female entrepreneurs to shine and has helped to break down boundaries, as well as extinguish tired old prejudices.
Here MailOnline takes a look at the women Lord Sugar has taken on during his recent all-female hiring spree.
Rachel Woolford became the fifth successive female winner of The Apprentice this week as women continue to dominate the boardroom
The gym owner won over Lord Sugar with her work ethic and business plan, sparking his decision to invest £250,000 of his own money into her firm and become a joint partner
Rachel Woolford – 2024 winner
Rachel already runs two successful gyms in Leeds and Harrogate but now she's looking to capitalise on Lord Sugar's investment by opening two new spaces.
Since using fitness as a positive outlet for stress during her A-levels, Rachel has adored exercise, and is now a keen runner, currently completing the world's six greatest marathons.
She aims to inspire women to be strong and embrace having muscles with her boutique fitness business North Studio, even banning words such as 'skinny' from her any marketing.
She told MailOnline: 'Being able to own a business as a woman and in the fitness industry is great.
'The fitness industry is traditionally very male dominated with gym owners and personal trainers and instructors so I am really proud to be a woman that owns a fitness business and most of my team aside from two male trainers are all strong, powerful women.
'In my classes, in any marketing, in general conversation, the words 'skinny', 'fat', and 'thin' are not allowed and we just don't use them. I want to get more young women who might be afraid of lifting a weight, as we all have at some point, thinking we're going to get bulky, that the benefits are amazing.
'I was never going to be this stick thin girl, it's just not the way I was built so I'm really pleased the narrative in the fitness world has changed to being about strength and being strong.'
Away from business, she is planning her wedding to fellow entrepreneur, fiancé Benjy Jacobs, who runs his own estate agents after the pair got engaged in December.
Tough-talking Marnie owns Bronx Boxing Club, a London-based gym which is set for an expansion next week
She quit her career in law to concentrate on the business, spurred by her passion for boxing which saw her win various titles as an amateur fighter
Lord Sugar admitted he took a 'gamble' hiring Marnie, as boxing and gym ownership was 'alien' to him
Marnie Swindells – 2023 winner
Tough-talking Marnie, 29, owns Bronx Boxing Club, a London-based gym which is set for an expansion next week.
She quit her career in law to concentrate on the business, spurred by her passion for boxing which saw her win various titles as an amateur fighter.
Lord Sugar admitted he took a 'gamble' hiring Marnie, as boxing and gym ownership was 'alien' to him, but the pair have a successful partnership and the Manchester-born entrepreneur is now plotting the next stage of her career – becoming a boxing promoter.
She said: 'I would definitely one day like to go into promoting. I think there's a lot I need to learn about the pro boxing arena.
'I've been in amateurs a long time, so I need to really get to know the
