Roxanne Jacenko (born 8 June 1980)[1] is an Australian businesswoman and socialite who was one of the runners up on the third season of The Celebrity Apprentice Australia.[2]

Roxy Jacenko
Jacenko in 2012
Born (1980-06-08) 8 June 1980 (age 44)
Sydney, Australia
NationalityAustralian
Occupation(s)Businesswoman, socialite
Years active2004–present

Career

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Jacenko is the director of Sydney-based public relations firm, Sweaty Betty PR, taking its name from the London clothing firm, Sweaty Betty,[3] founded in 2004 when Jacenko was 24 years old. The company once boasted more than 70 clients including brands Peugeot, Coles Supermarkets, Oliver Peoples and Harris Scarfe.[4] and celebrities Maude Garrett and MasterChef Australia contestant Hayden Quinn.[5]

Television

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In early 2010, Jacenko signed a deal with the Seven Network to star in a semi-scripted reality television show called The Sweat Box (a play on the name of her PR agency). It was announced that the show would be similar to the US television show, The Hills, but would focus on Sydney's affluent Eastern Suburbs.[6] Later in 2010, Channel Seven cancelled production of the show.

In 2013, Jacenko appeared on the Australian version of The Celebrity Apprentice. Her appearance was characterised by conflicts with Prue MacSween[7] and swimmer Stephanie Rice[8] and by accusations she favoured some team-mates over others.[9] In the season final, Jacenko, John Steffensen and Jeff Fenech were named as runners-up to Rice who was named Celebrity Apprentice.

In 2020, it was announced Jacenko would be participating in the Seven Network's reality program SAS Australia.[10] Jacenko was the first to exit the show.

Publishing

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In 2012, Jacenko published her first book, Strictly Confidential: A Jazzy Lou Novel.[11] It was published by Allen & Unwin and is a semi-fiction "behind-the-scenes" view of the public relations and fashion industries.[12] Reviewing the book before its official release, columnist Ros Reines suggested many of the characters were "so thinly disguised as to almost be see-through"—that many were, in fact, caricatures of real and well-known Sydney socialites.[13] In a 2013 Good Weekend feature, Jacenko admitted she shared several significant character traits with the novel's main character including an "extreme" dedication to her career, a passing addiction to Nurofen and "strict" dieting.[14] In 2017, Jacenko has also admitted to battling depression while her husband was in jail.[15][16]

Jacenko's second book, which was to be titled The Insider, was due to be released in December 2013.[3] Instead, in November 2013, Jacenko released The Rumour Mill: A Jazzy Lou Novel, the second novel in her "Jazzy Lou" series.

Personal life

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Jacenko has one daughter and one son.[1] Her daughter, Pixie, has started two companies: Pixie's Fidgets, a toy company, and Pixie's Bows, a hair accessory company.[17] Her husband is former investment banker Oliver Curtis, who was convicted and imprisoned for insider trading in 2016. He was released in 2017.[18][19][20] They previously lived in Vaucluse, New South Wales.[21]

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 The Celebrity Apprentice Australia Herself TV series (runner-up)
2019 I Am...Roxy Herself Pilot episode
2020 SAS Australia Herself TV series[22]

References

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  1. ^ a b Naughton, Julia (8 June 2017). "Roxy Jacenko celebrates 37th birthday with sombre post dedicated to her kids". 9Honey. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  2. ^ "A day in the life of Roxy Jacenko" by Ros Reines (The Daily Telegraph, 21 February 2013)
  3. ^ a b At home with Roxy Jacenko (OK! magazine, 20 May 2013)
  4. ^ "Roxy Jacenko's spin: is it genuine?" by Adam Courtenay (Sydney Morning Herald, 25 April 2013)
  5. ^ Sweaty Betty PR – Who we work with.
  6. ^ "Music to the ears of Roxy Jacenko" by Richard Clune (The Daily Telegraph, 28 March 2010)
  7. ^ "Roxy Jacenko claws back in Celebrity Apprentice catfight" by Zilka Grogan (The Daily Telegraph, 22 May 2013)
  8. ^ Roxy Jacenko shows she's no apprentice when it comes to airing her views on Steph Rice by Briana Domjen (The Advertiser, 7 May 2013)
  9. ^ "Rob Mills' shock Celebrity Apprentice exit: 'Is Roxy Jacenko bribing contestants?'" by Charlotte Willis (News.com.au, 29 May 2013)
  10. ^ (2 October 2020) "Media Release: SAS Australia's full line up and air date revealed", TV Blackbox. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  11. ^ Strictly Confidential: A Jazzy Lou Novel by Roxy Jacenko (Allen & Unwin, 2012)
  12. ^ "Roxy Jacenko, author of Strictly Confidential: A Jazzy Lou Novel" by Mati Munoz (StyleZilla, 29 December 2011)
  13. ^ "Roxy Jacenko's revealing read" by Ros Reines (The Daily Telegraph, 17 December 2011)
  14. ^ "Blonde ambition" by Jane Cadzow (Good Weekend, 29 June 2013)
  15. ^ "'Five days I'd come to work with puffy eyes and miserable ... I lost it'". 4 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Roxy's question: 'Do you want to be driving a Holden or a Ferrari?". 17 November 2016.
  17. ^ Rennolds, Andrea Núñez-Torrón Stock, Nathan. "A 10-year-old girl already owns 2 companies, and could retire at 15 as a multimillionaire". Business Insider. Retrieved 14 January 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Michaela Whitbourn (10 May 2016) "Oliver Curtis stands trial for insider trading with wife Roxy Jacenko at his side". Sydney Morning Herald, Retrieved 10 May 2016
  19. ^ Will Glasgow "Oliver Curtis and Roxy Jacenko dine out during court break" . The Australian, Retrieved 10 May 2016
  20. ^ "Oliver Curtis back to work already". 26 June 2017.
  21. ^ Brygel, Jackie (14 May 2023). "'It's time': Inside Roxy Jacenko's $14 million Vaucluse home for sale". Domain. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  22. ^ "The stars joining Schapelle Corby on SAS Australia". 7NEWS. 16 August 2020. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
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