NBC COMMITS TO A NEW CELEBRITY VERSION OF 'THE APPRENTICE' FEATURING DONALD TRUMP AS CELEBRITY CONTESTANTS VIE TO BE THE BEST BUSINESS BRAIN UNDER TRUMP'S TUTELAGE

NBC COMMITS TO A NEW CELEBRITY VERSION OF 'THE APPRENTICE' FEATURING DONALD TRUMP AS CELEBRITY CONTESTANTS VIE TO BE THE BEST BUSINESS BRAIN UNDER TRUMP'S TUTELAGE

Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. Return to the Boardroom

BURBANK -- July 16, 2007 -- NBC has renewed "The Apprentice" for mid-season with a creative twist. In a new celebrity version of the popular series, celebrity contestants will vie for Donald Trump's attention in what will be the highest-profile competition in the groundbreaking series' run, it was announced today by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.

"It's always good to be in business with Mark Burnett and Donald Trump," said Silverman. "I am so excited to offer viewers what promises to be the most explosive version of 'The Apprentice' that anyone has seen."

"The success of 'The Apprentice' has been a great experience for me," said Trump. "I look forward to working with Ben, NBC and Mark, the best team in television. I believe that celebrity 'Apprentice' will bring our wonderful show to new heights."

A list of the participating celebrities will be announced at a later date for the series' seventh season. Contestants will be raising money for various charities throughout the competition.

Last season, "The Apprentice: Los Angeles" averaged a 3.1 rating, 7 share in adults 18-49 and 7.5 million viewers overall. It was the most upscale unscripted show on primetime network television, indexing at a 131 among adults 18-49 living in homes with $100,000-plus incomes (with 100 representing an average concentration of those homes in the 18-49 population). In addition, a total of more than 40.1 million viewers watched some or all of the first season's finale of "The Apprentice" on April 15, 2004 -- making it the top new show of that season among adults 18-49 and total viewers.

As in past editions of "The Apprentice" -- which became a national sensation after it premiered on NBC in January 8, 2004 -- celebrity contestants will be tasked to projects on assigned teams each week. Ultimately, they will have to sit in the boardroom and help advise Trump on who he should fire each week from their opposing team. Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. will return for several episodes as boardroom advisers.

"The Apprentice" is produced by Mark Burnett Productions in association with Trump Productions LLC. Mark Burnett and Donald J. Trump are executive producers.