The Celebrity Apprentice can say, "Hasta la vista, baby," to Donald Trump as Arnold Schwarzenegger has officially been hired as its new host.
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NBC has announced Schwarzenegger, a longtime action-film hero, will be replacing Trump on The Celebrity Apprentice for the series' 2016-2017 season.
"We are thrilled to be opening a powerful new chapter in the story of The Apprentice franchise. Arnold Schwarzenegger is the epitome of a global brand in entertainment and business, and his accomplishments in the political arena speak for themselves," NBC reality chief Paul Telegdy said in a statement Monday.
"It was Arnold's personal passion for the format that Mark Burnett and Donald Trump built over the last decade, as well as his fresh take on how to take it to new heights for today’s audiences, that made him the man to hire. The Celebrity Apprentice will be back!"
Telegdy's "will be back" phrase is a play on Schwarzenegger's famous line from The Terminator.
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"I have always been a huge fan of The Celebrity Apprentice and the way it showcases the challenges and triumphs of business and teamwork," Schwarzenegger said in a statement obtained by Access Hollywood. "I am thrilled to bring my experience to the boardroom and to continue to raise millions for charity. Let's get started!"
Schwarzenegger's new role on the show is apparently earning a great reaction from fans on social media.
"Wow. I'm blown away and honored by all your tweets. I can't wait...," he tweeted Monday afternoon.
Although NBC cut ties with Trump due to his presidential campaign and offensive remarks about Mexican immigrants, the former The Celebrity Apprentice star is happy for Schwarzenegger.
"Congrats to my friend @Schwarzenegger who is doing next season's Celebrity Apprentice. He'll be great & will raise lots of $ for charity," Trump wrote on Twitter shortly after the announcement. "To all my fans, sorry I couldn't do The Apprentice any longer—but equal time (presidential run) prohibits me from doing so. Love!"
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The show's executive producer, Mark Burnett, also expressed his excitement over Schwarzenegger filling Trump's big shoes.
"After leaving the show to run for political office, Donald made it clear that he wanted The Celebrity Apprentice to be able to continue to raise millions of dollars annually for worthy causes, and now NBC and I have found an amazing new leader to do just that," Burnett said in a statement of Schwarzenegger, who served two terms as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011.
"Gov. Schwarzenegger will use his vast and highly successful business, political and media experience to drive this hit franchise to new heights."
Prior to NBC's big reveal, sources said the network was looking at other stars to replace Trump as the head honcho on The Celebrity Apprentice. Some of the names being tossed around were NBA legend and LA Dodgers co-owner Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, and Shark Tank star Mark Cuban.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski