Martha Stewart to Star in Reality Show

By Sharon Cotliar

Originally posted Wednesday January 19, 2005 01:00 PM EST

Martha Stewart Photo by: Ezio Petersen / UPI / Landov

Martha Stewart, who recently passed the midway point of her five-month prison stint, is already cooking up plans for the next phase of her career, including a prime-time spinoff of NBC's The Apprentice, a source tells PEOPLE.

The new show, however, won't be a carbon copy of the reality hit that stars real estate mogul Donald Trump, according to another source, who says: "I couldn't imagine they would use a boardroom. They would tailor something more appropriate for Martha."

Then again, Trump hasn't yet signed on for a fourth season of The Apprentice, which raises the possibility of Stewart simply sliding into his boardroom seat. Last month NBC Universal president Jeff Zucker said Trump will "hopefully" be the star of the show for years to come. As for Stewart's prime-time project, NBC had no comment.

Apprentice producer Mark Burnett, who confirmed to the New York Post that a reality show with Stewart is in the works, tells PEOPLE: "I've always been fascinated by Martha."

Also in the works for Stewart is a daily syndicated homemaking show on NBC to start next fall. NBC-owned stations in 14 major cities have already agreed to air the daytime program, which will feature a live audience and celebrity guests, starting in September.

Stewart, 63, is currently in a federal prison in West Virginia serving time for obstruction of justice.