BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. – “The Apprentice” will return for its seventh season, possibly as soon as midseason – with a celebrity version.
And Ben Silverman, the new co-chairman of NBC entertainment, didn’t seem to be kidding in his first session before the TV critics press tour Monday when he said he’d like one of the celebrities on the Donald Trump reality show to be Rosie O’Donnell. “I think Rosie would be great for ‘The Apprentice,’” Silverman said. “I told Donald to extend an invitation to her. That would be fun.”
But as laughter died down, co-chairman Marc Graboff said, “We’d like to be in business with Rosie. We’d definitely like to have her on ‘The Apprentice.’”
Celebrities from the worlds of entertainment, sports and possibly fashion – especially those who have started their own side businesses – will be recruited for the reality show, where they will participate in tasks and compete in teams, the losers appearing in the boardroom before Trump and his children, Donald Jr. and Ivanka. Contestants will be raising money for charity throughout the competition, Silverman said.
In other reality-show news for the fall season, Silverman announced the development of a show tentatively called “Phenomenon,” in which Uri Geller and illusionist Criss Angel will team to find “the next great mentalist.” It’s based on a show that’s a hit in Israel.
“Chuck” will move to Mondays for a full night of fantasy shows, alongside “Heroes” and “Journeyman,” while “Deal or No Deal” will move to Fridays to help bolster the returning “Friday Night Lights” and “Las Vegas.”
The new season begins Sept. 24, with a few exceptions. “The Biggest Loser” and “Deal or No Deal” will start earlier, on Sept. 11 and 17, respectively; “30 Rock” starts Oct. 4 with an episode guest-starring Jerry Seinfeld; “Friday Night Lights” returns Oct. 5 and “Scrubs” returns Oct. 25.
Silverman also announced Isaiah Washington, let go from the ABC hit “Grey’s Anatomy” in part because of controversy arising from his using slurs about gays, has been hired to appear in five episodes of “Bionic Woman.”
In other news from the session:
* “All in the Family” producer Norman Lear will help produce an hourlong Wall Street show about a single mother and her battles with her late husband’s business partner.
* Jay Leno is still on track to hand over “The Tonight Show” show to Conan O’Brien in 2009, but Graboff said of Leno, “We want him to stay at NBC for life,” indicating a post-“Tonight” role for him in prime time.
* Shows also are in development from Charles Corwin (“Half Nelson,” “The Squid and the Whale”) and Charles McDougall (“The Tudors”). McDougall will develop a drama about crime in the suburbs called “Backyards &Bullets.” Michelle Nader (“King of Queens”) will become executive producer of the adaptation of the Australian comedy “Kath &Kim.”
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