Arnold Schwarzenegger will be the next host of NBC’s Celebrity Apprentice, the network announced. The actor turned twice-elected California governor will take over for Donald Trump, the only host the competition show has had, when it returns to NBC in the 2016-17 TV season. (Adweek)
Schwarzenegger replaces longtime host Trump, who parted ways with NBC shortly after he announced his presidential campaign in June. The network first said it planned to “re-evaluate” Trump’s role on the reality competition—which stems back to its 2005 debut—in June when Trump announced he was running for president. At the time, NBC’s stance was due to the strict rules networks must abide by in giving equal screen time to all presidential candidates. (THR / Live Feed)
NBC later cut ties with Trump after he made offensive remarks about Mexican immigrants. (HuffPost)
Schwarzenegger is a natural choice for the “CEO” role in the reality-competition franchise that challenges celebrities to prove themselves as entrepreneurs as they raise money for charitable causes. In addition to his credentials as an action-movie star and as a two-term former governor, Schwarzenegger has long had a range of business holdings, from restaurants to real estate development to sports franchises. (Variety)