NBC officially fires Trump from "Celebrity Apprentice"

NBC entertainment chairman, Bob Greenblatt, had two words Thursday on whether Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump would ever return as host of "The Celebrity Apprentice:" Absolutely not.

Greenblatt said that the show will not be back next season, but will return in the future with a new host.

NBC cut ties with Trump in June days after he made critical comments about Mexican immigrants and NBC canceled its airing of the Miss USA pageant, which Univision also decided not to air.

Greenblatt said he enjoyed working with Trump when the network was still in business with him.

"He is a lovely guy. He was very much a collaborator and worked with us closely on `Celebrity Apprentice' and, you know, there's a really effusive great guy. We weren't in any sort of adversarial position."

Greenblatt said a number of people have expressed interest in taking over for the Republican presidential candidate and they would be open to a woman taking over.

Martha Stewart hosted her own version of "The Celebrity Apprentice" for one season in 2005.

"I think we have every chance of continuing `The Celebrity Apprentice' with a new host," he said.

Leeza Gibbons was named the winner of the most recent 7th edition of "The Celebrity Apprentice."