Stewart ‘Apprentice’ near its end

Wed., Nov. 16, 2005

Associated Press

Donald Trump will soon have “The Apprentice” to himself.

Martha Stewart’s version of the NBC reality series is ending next month.

Stewart’s show failed to find a big audience, but both NBC and executive producer Mark Burnett said Monday that its mediocre ratings had nothing to do with the short run.

“Even if it would have done enormous numbers, it couldn’t have come back,” said Burnett, who also produces Stewart’s syndicated daytime talk show.

He cited two reasons: the impossibility of Stewart doing both shows well and the fact her company doesn’t have a financial interest in “The Apprentice.”

Stewart, who served five months in prison for lying about a 2001 stock sale, followed by nearly six months of house arrest, started the programs in a flurry of activity in September. Her “Apprentice” will end with a two-hour finale Dec. 21.

Trump, in his fifth “Apprentice” season, recently suggested that his series has been diminished by Stewart’s. His has been averaging about 10 million viewers a week, down 4 million from last season.

Stewart’s is drawing around 7 million viewers.

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