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Schwarzenegger, 68, who returned to movie making after ending
his second term as California governor in 2011, will take over
when the show returns in the 2016-17 season, NBC, a unit of
Comcast Corp <CMCSA.0>, said in a statement.
"Arnold Schwarzenegger is the epitome of a global brand in
entertainment and business, and his accomplishments in the
political arena speak for themselves, " Paul Telegdy, president
of alternative programming for NBC, said in a statement.
Telegdy said Schwarzenegger had ideas for "a fresh take" on the
show, in which celebrities compete with each other on business
tasks while raising money for charities.
Trump, who coined the catch phrase "You're fired," stepped down
from the show earlier this year because he decided to run as
Republican candidate for U.S. president in 2016. He is currently
leading opinion polls.
Schwarzenegger said he was a huge fan of 'The Celebrity
Apprentice' and "the way it showcases the challenges and
triumphs of business and teamwork. I am thrilled to bring my
experience to the boardroom and to continue to raise millions
for charity."
The Austrian-born action hero and former bodybuilder has
released a handful of movies since returning to the
entertainment industry, but few have had the box office success
he enjoyed in the 1980s and 1990s with films like "Conan the
Barbarian" and "The Terminator."
His latest outing "Terminator: Genisys," released in July,
brought in a disappointing $90 million at the North American box
office but fared much better overseas with about $350 million,
according to BoxOfficeMojo.com
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant in New York and Anya George Tharakan
in Bengaluru; Editing by Christian Plumb)
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