NBC renews 'Celebrity Apprentice'

NEW YORK , Jan. 29 (UPI) -- NBC has announced it renewed its U.S. reality competition show "The Celebrity Apprentice" for a second season.

Based in New York, the new season is set to debut in January 2009.

The first season finale is scheduled to air March 27.

"The Celebrity Apprentice" is a spin-off of "The Apprentice," which ran for six seasons.

"This revved-up installment of 'The Apprentice' has been a game-changer for the series. As the rest of this season unfolds, you just keep watching; these episodes have been more thrilling than any season before," NBC Entertainment's Craig Plestis said in a statement. "We are blown away by the cast's drive, energy and passion to not only play the game, but also to raise a lot of money and awareness for important causes. There's no other show like it to prove your business brain and we are already getting calls from high-profile celebrities who want to challenge themselves in Season 2."

Businessman Donald Trump, the show's star and executive producer, said he is "thrilled" to continue the "amazingly successful franchise."