BBC The Apprentice winner shares only way you can win show - and it's not about the tasks

With a new batch of contestants desperately trying to secure a £250,000 investment from Lord Alan Sugar, last year's winner Marnie Swindells has opened up what it takes to become a finalist.

Despite being on the losing team four times during her stint on the show, the 29 year old business woman managed to win over the experts , and Lord Sugar to secure an investment in a boxing gym named Bronx in south London. However, while viewers were left thinking that it's purely down to the luck of the draw when it comes to tasks, it seems that it takes more than that - and it's all about how you conduct yourself away from the cameras.

In a recent interview Marnie explained: "Nothing is down to luck, as I said, I think it has a lot to do with hard work and a lot to do with effort and what you put into a task. I think Lord Sugar can accept that people won't always get it right but if people are prepared to make an effort and go the extra mile, that's what he appreciates."

She added: "So the outcome of the task, I believe, is irrelevant. These tasks are used to see how people respond to pressure, cope with different elements of business, and fair in these really savage group dynamics. I think it's all about testing people's character. So when it comes to losing the task, I think is kind of second to who people truly show themselves to be. "

Marnie had her own experience with clashing with her fellow participants but she believes that Raj has found the best balance as she is a "doer", and that is why she could be in the final. Marnie admitted: "She brings a good energy, she brings positivity. I think that probably has had a big impact on her being on that winning task every time. I think she seems to gel well with others, which again, has an impact off camera as well because if you're making friends and you're doing well behind the scenes, I think that translates into how people respond to you in tasks."

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But ahead of the next episode of the BBC show, she explained to Sky Casino: "With Phil on the opposite side of things. I can't recall anything Phil's done wrong. He just hasn't done anything right necessarily. He's just found himself on the losing side. Which tells me he perhaps hasn't done enough. But again, I think Lord sugar is seeing something in him that he respects and likes."

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