“The Apprentice,” the NBC reality series that transformed Donald Trump from a real estate mogul into a television personality, is making its way to streaming on Amazon’s Prime Video.
On Monday, Amazon announced that the first seven seasons of the show will stream exclusively on Prime Video. The first season became available on the platform that same day, with additional seasons rolling out weekly.
The reality series, which premiered in 2004, featured 16 contestants competing in various business challenges for a $250,000 salary and the opportunity to work as an apprentice at The Trump Organization.
Created by Mark Burnett, the show ran for a total of 15 seasons and produced nearly 200 episodes in the United States.
For its first seven seasons (Seasons 1-6 and 10), the series retained the name “The Apprentice” before being rebranded as “The Celebrity Apprentice” for the remaining eight seasons. Trump hosted every season except for the final installment, which was led by former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
“‘The Apprentice’ is one of the best shows that I ever produced,” Burnett said in a statement. Burnett, whose production credits also include “The Voice,” “Survivor,” and “Shark Tank,” added, “Now, thanks to Prime Video, a whole new audience will experience a new season every Monday.”
The series is widely credited with catapulting Trump into national prominence. In its early seasons, the show was a ratings powerhouse, averaging 20 million viewers per week, according to Amazon.
Trump left the show in 2015 to launch his first presidential campaign, but as an executive producer, he is expected to profit from Prime Video’s licensing deal.
Trump’s Reality Show The Apprentice (Photo: AP)
Estimate from September 2020 indicated that Trump had earned millions in product placement revenue from the series.
Amazon’s decision to stream “The Apprentice” marks the second deal the company has made with the Trump family this year.
In January, Prime Video secured the rights to a documentary about Melania Trump, who was then the incoming first lady and is also attached to the project as an executive producer.
While Prime Video did not disclose the financial terms of that agreement, Puck reported that the licensing deal was worth $40 million.
These two agreements highlight Amazon’s growing investment in content related to the Trump family. The deals also suggest that Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s founder, may be seeking to strengthen ties with the former president.
Beyond acquiring the reality series, recent shifts at Bezos’ Washington Post indicate he may believe a more favorable Trump could benefit his business interests, including Amazon and Blue Origin.
Trump has already shared his thoughts on Prime Video adding “The Apprentice” to its streaming catalog.
“I look forward to watching this show myself — such great memories, and so much fun, but most importantly, it was a learning experience for all of us,” Trump said in a statement.
