NEW YORK - NBC’s hit television show “The Celebrity Apprentice” will feature a challenge involving three Clockwork Home Services brands - Mister Sparky, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, and One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning - in an upcoming episode. The show, which is in its third season, features celebrity guests vying for the role of Donald Trump’s No. 1 apprentice.

Clockwork founders John Young and Jim Abrams developed a challenge involving three of their franchises for the upcoming episode. It will be the first time three brands are included in one challenge, and the first time that any service brand has been integrated into the show.

“My friends at Mister Sparky, Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, and One Hour Heating & Air Conditioning practice what they preach - time is money,” said Donald Trump.

“Punctuality is a key requirement in business. Be sure to tune in as they make ‘Apprentice’ history by doing something no other brand has done. Adding to the excitement, my son Eric will make his first-ever appearance in the boardroom.”

For his television debut, 26-year-old Eric Trump, an honor graduate from Georgetown University and executive vice president of development and acquisitions at the Trump Organization, spent a considerable amount of time with Abrams and Young. Abrams said, “He was great to work with and asked a lot of very intelligent questions about our business model.”

Neither Young nor Abrams expect to prolong their careers in acting. Young said the experience was “nerve-racking,” and he also commented that he may end up being the most hated man in America after the show airs. Abrams found that he had an unusual connection with Trump during the filming.

The episode is scheduled to premiere Sunday night, May 2. At press time, contestants Cyndi Lauper, Sharon Osbourne, Bret Michaels, Holly Robinson Peete, Maria Kanellis, Curtis Stone, and Summer Sanders were still in the running to be named Trump’s new apprentice.

Tune in to see who will tackle the HVAC challenge - and who will hear Trump’s trademark line, “You’re fired.”

The NEWS will be live tweeting during the show. Visit www.twitter.com/achrnews on May 2 to follow along.

Publication date: 04/26/2010