“The Celebrity Apprentice” won’t air this fall as planned because NBC is still on the hunt to replace Donald Trump.
Bob Greenblatt, NBC’s entertainment chairman, made the announcement Thursday during the Television Critics Association summer press tour, but noted that the series will return for the 2016-2017 season.
“We’ve actually been overwhelmed by a number of really exciting people who have come forward and are interested in taking over the show,” Greenbalt said. “You’ve heard some names bandied about. Some of them are simply not true.” (RELATED: Is Donald Trump Getting Replaced By George Lopez?)
“As soon as we settle on someone, we’ll get the word out, and something tells me that will be big news.”
(Photo: Reuters)
It was originally reported that the show wouldn’t air after Trump made his presidential announcement because a network can’t give one candidate a disproportionate amount of TV time, but then NBC severed ties with the business mogul because it thought comments he made “regarding immigrants” were “derogatory.”
“I don’t know that we’ve even thought beyond ‘The Apprentice’ and pageant businesses,” Greenbalt said. “I don’t think somebody who, you know, is running for president and might possibly be the next leader of the free world could be banned from any activities at NBC, but we have to see how this plays out.”
“I honesty don’t know what else he might want to do business with us. At the moment, we’re sort of separated.” (RELATED: Brande Roderick Defends Trump: I Don’t Even Remember ‘Get On Your Knees’ Comment)