Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Schwarzenegger, pictured at a screening of "Terminator Genisys" Aug. 18, 2015, was named as Donald Trump's replacement for Season 15 of "The Celebrity Apprentice." Getty

With Donald Trump officially out as the host of NBC’s “Celebrity Apprentice” thanks to his bid for the U.S. presidency in 2016, the Peacock Network has been on the hunt for a new business and media mogul to host the show. Now, reports indicate NBC has tapped actor and former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to replace Trump in the infamous boardroom.

Schwarzenegger's official Twitter account confirmed he will be the host of Season 15 of the popular reality competition when it returns next year.

"I've always been 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 68-year-old “Terminator Genisys” star said in a statement (via Variety). “Let’s get started!”

For those who may think Schwarzenegger is an odd choice to helm the show, the Wrap notes that he meets the criteria: a famous face and passable business acumen. He has been in movies since 1969 and served two terms as governor of California. He managed more than 300,000 state employees and a state budget of hundreds of billions of dollars. In addition, he has made successful investments in real estate and sports franchises. Not to mention he guest-starred on an episode in Season 6 of “The Apprentice,” before the show had celebrity contestants.

Unfortunately for those going through the roof with excitement to see Schwarzenegger deciding the fate of a new group of D-list celebrities, they’ll have to wait just a tad longer than usual. According to People, NBC Entertainment Chairman Bob Greenblatt told a crowd at the 2015 Television Critics Association press tour that the show would skip the fall season due to the time needed to find a new host. However, since “The Celebrity Apprentice” is still a successful show for the network, Greenblatt revealed that a new host, now known to be Schwarzenegger, would take over for the 2016-2017 season.

“After leaving the show to run for political office, Donald made it clear that he wanted ‘The Celebrity Apprentice’ to be able to continue to raise millions of dollars annually for worthy causes, and now NBC and I have found an amazing new leader to do just that,” said “Celebrity Apprentice” executive producer Mark Burnett in a statement. “Gov. Schwarzenegger will use his vast and highly successful business, political and media experience to drive this hit franchise to new heights.”

As for the previous host of the show, Trump was gracious upon hearing the news that he'd been replaced in the show that he helped make popular. The 69-year-old Republican presidential candidate tweeted the following messages of support to Schwarzenegger and apologies to his fans.

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