Donald Trump set to remain executive producer on Celebrity Apprentice

President-elect Donald Trump will remain an executive producer on the 'Celebrity Apprentice', according to the show's new host Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Trump, who famously barked the phrase "you're fired" as he dismissed competitors on the 'Apprentice' and 'Celebrity Apprentice' programmes, stepped down from the role last year when he entered the Republican presidential race.

Schwarzenegger will take over as host when it returns on January 2, and said: "I have to say to all of you that it was big shoes to fill."

The star of the 'Terminator' films and two-term California governor told reporters: "Well I think I knew that from the beginning that he is executive producer on the show.

"That was on the credit when you watched the show and I would say I watched 60 percent of all the shows before I took on this challenge and so his credit was on there.

"It's no different than when I was running for governor and I became governor. My credit for starring in 'Terminator' still said Schwarzenegger and everything stayed the same."

Variety magazine said Trump was likely to be due a payment in the low five-figures per episode and his advisor, Kellyanne Conway, told CNN: "Presidents have a right to do things in their spare time or their leisure time. Nobody objects to that."

However Trump later appeared to contract his own spokesperson in a series of tweets:

Donald Trump will be sworn in as US President on January 20.