Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor: Michael Leidig, Agency:  Newsflash

Hollywood tough guy Arnold Schwarzenegger has cancelled a visit to his own climate change summit out of fears of contracting COVID-19.

The Austrian World Summit, a climate conference held annually since 2017, was initiated by The Terminator star.

He co-organises the event with Austrian politician Monika Langthaler, 56, of the left-wing Greens, The Green Alternative political party.

However, the summit will have to take place without its Hollywood host who has pulled out due to fears of contracting COVID-19.

Schwarzenegger, 74, will now appear at the summit virtually from his home in Toronto, Canada, where he is filming a new Netflix series called Utap.

The Austrian superstar – who also cancelled his appearance at the 2020 World Summit due to COVID-19 fears – has reportedly been advised not to travel to his home country for the 2022 event by Netflix bosses.

Producers have urged Schwarzenegger not to travel to Austria due to the increasing number of coronavirus infections being reported, according to Langthaler in a statement on 12th June.

Production executives are concerned that a COVID-19 outbreak could bring production to a standstill for more than a week, costing them millions.

A summit statement said: “We thought we had the biggest problems behind us here – but we actually have a war in Europe that is affecting our important work more than ever.

“It was all the more difficult for us to learn tonight that Arnold Schwarzenegger will be attending our summit this year, like in 2020, from a distance, this time from Toronto.

“Of course, it was a disappointment for all of us and unfortunately shows us once again that Covid is not over.”

From his home in Toronto, Schwarzenegger will virtually interview US Environmental Protection Agency chief Michael Regan and European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans, among other guests.