Arnold Schwarzenegger to host Celebrity Apprentice

Arnold Schwarzenegger is heading for television, with NBC announcing that the Terminator star and former California governor will be the new host of Celebrity Apprentice.

"We are thrilled to be opening a powerful new chapter in the story of the Apprentice franchise," Paul Telegdy, president of alternative and late-night programming for NBC Entertainment, 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. 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!"

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Earlier this fall, the network cut ties with Trump, who had hosted the program and its original counterpart The Apprentice since their start, after the real estate mogul and Republican presidential candidate made derogatory comments about Mexicans while campaigning. 

The show, which sees celebrities on rival teams complete business tasks, will return to the network for the 2016 television season. 

Professional bodybuilder-turned-actor and businessman Schwarzenegger, who ended his second terms as the governor of California in 2011, has returned to acting. He's since appeared in The Expendables 2 and 3, The Last Stand, Escape Plan and Terminator Genisys.

On social media, Schwarzenegger said he "can't wait" to start the new project, while Trump wished his successor well.