NBC has apparently decided to keep Donald Trump in the boardroom.
Two months after leaving The Apprentice off its 2007-08 prime-time schedule, the Peacock has decided to bring back the former reality hit for "at least one more season," with an option for possibly two.
NBC ironed out the new deal with Trump after he and executive producer Mark Burnett sat down with the network's new boss, Ben Silverman, according to Reuters.
A formal announcement is expected at the net's presentation at the Television Critics Association's summer press tour July 16.
Trump, who had already announced he was moving on to other ventures, is contractually obligated for another edition.
Led by Silverman, who took over for Kevin Reilly shortly after the network announced its fall slate, the new leadership at NBC decided The Apprentice was too valuable a franchise to give up on. Despite its overall ratings slide the past two seasons, the show did well in some key demos, especially among wealthy viewers.
"I didn't want to lose The Apprentice," Silverman told the New York Times Monday.
Added Trump: "Ben Silverman gets it. I think he's a guy with vision and a great leader."
The last cycle of the show, The Apprentice: Los Angeles, ended with the Donald hiring 32-year-old attorney Stefani Shaeffer.
That finale drew just 7.9 million viewers, a slight uptick from the season average, but a big fall-off from the 2004 inaugural season, when more than 28 million tuned in to see Bill Rancic win the job and accompanying $250,000 salary.
At the upfronts in May, Reilly indicated that the despite the show's omission from the schedule, the network remained in talks with Trump and Burnett about another go-round.
Fearing he was going to be on the receiving end of a "You're fired," Trump submitted a preemptive resignation anyway. "Viewers will have to wait to see what Mr. Trump plans for the future," the statement read.
(Trump and Burnett also had the option to shop The Apprentice to another network should NBC have passed on another season.)
In the meantime, Trump is working on a new reality series title Lady or a Tramp. Adapted from the U.K. series, Ladette to Lady, Lady or a Tramp is a new reality competition being developed for Fox as a possible midseason replacement in which party girls are sent through the rigors of charm school.
Another project in the works is a half-hour reality series for MTV dubbed Pageant Place, following the lives of Miss Universe, Miss USA and Miss Teen USA as they share a posh Manhattan apartment while performing their various duties.
The Donald will not appear on the show. But Trump reclamation project and former Miss USA Tara Conner will serve as den mother to the beauty queens, helping them adjust to their new digs and lifestyle at Trump Place.
In the meantime, NBC will continue to air the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants through 2010.
TKPN
PageantCast Home
Frappr Map
Podcast Pickle Page
Our Feed
One Click Subscribe in Juice
One Click Subscribe in iTunes
No comments:
Post a Comment