Mark Burnett facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mark Burnett
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Burnett in 2009
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| United States Special Envoy for the United Kingdom | |
| Assumed office January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Mark Burnett
17 July 1960 London, England |
| Citizenship |
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| Spouses |
Kym Gold
(m. 1988; div. 1989)Dianne J. Valentine
(m. 1992; div. 2006) |
| Children | 2 |
| Occupation | Television producer, media proprietor, author |
James Mark Burnett (born on July 17, 1960) is a famous British television producer. He has created and produced many popular TV shows that you might have seen. These include Survivor, The Apprentice, Shark Tank, and The Voice.
Mark Burnett has won many important awards for his work. He has received 13 Emmy Awards, which are major awards for television. He also won five Producers Guild of America Awards and many others. From 2013 to 2017, he was named one of the 500 most influential leaders in the global media industry.
He used to be the President of United Artists and Chairman of MGM Worldwide Television Group. He has produced more than 3,200 hours of TV shows. These shows are regularly watched in over 70 countries around the world.
Contents
Early Life and Adventures
Mark Burnett was born in London, England, on July 17, 1960. His parents, Archie and Jean Burnett, both worked in a Ford Motor factory. He grew up in Dagenham, Essex.
When he was 17, he joined the British Army. He served in the Parachute Regiment from 1978 to 1982. After his time in the army, he decided to move to the United States.
Starting a TV Career
In October 1982, Burnett moved to the United States. He first worked as a nanny and chauffeur in Beverly Hills. Later, he sold T-shirts at Venice Beach in Los Angeles on weekends. He realized he could make good money doing this.
In 1991, Mark Burnett took part in an adventure race in France called the Raid Gauloises. He saw a great business idea in these types of competitions. He bought the rights to create similar races in America. This led him to create Eco-Challenge, an expedition race show. This show helped him start his successful career as a television producer.
Creating Hit TV Shows
Mark Burnett's first big show was Eco-Challenge in 1995. This then led to the very popular reality show Survivor, which first aired in 2000. Survivor quickly became one of the most watched shows.
In 2004, he launched The Apprentice on NBC. In this show, contestants competed for a job with businessman Donald Trump.
Burnett has produced many other well-known TV shows. These include Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?, where kids test adults' knowledge, and Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs present their business ideas. He also produced The Voice, a singing competition, and Beat Shazam, a music game show.
He and his wife, actress Roma Downey, also produced faith-based shows. These include The Bible, a ten-hour drama based on Bible stories, and A.D. The Bible Continues. They also produced movies like Son of God.
Mark Burnett has also been involved in producing many award shows. These include the MTV Movie Awards and the annual People's Choice Awards.
As of 2024, Mark Burnett is still a producer for several popular network TV shows. These include Generation Gap (ABC), Beat Shazam (FOX), Shark Tank (ABC), Survivor (CBS), and The Voice (NBC).
Family Life
Mark Burnett has two sons, James and Cameron, from his previous marriage to Dianne J. Burnett. In 2014, his son Cameron had a serious health challenge but bravely recovered. Cameron was even given a Courage Award for his strength.
In 2007, Mark Burnett married actress Roma Downey. They got married at their home in Malibu, California.
Awards and Recognition
Mark Burnett has received many awards and honors for his work in television. In 2004, Time magazine named him one of the "Most Influential People in the World Today." He also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which he received in 2009.
He has won numerous Emmy Awards, which are among the highest honors in television. His shows like The Voice and Shark Tank have won many awards for being top reality and competition programs.
Burnett and his wife, Roma Downey, are also involved in charity work. They support organizations like Operation Smile and Compassion International. They also helped start the Cradle Fund, which helps people displaced by conflict in the Middle East.
Key Awards and Honors
Mark Burnett has won many special awards, including:
- 2004: Time Magazine: 'Time 100: 100 Most Influential People in the World Today'
- 2009: Hollywood Walk of Fame Star: 'Excellence in Television'
- 2010: Producers Guild of America 'Lifetime Achievement Award in Television'
- 2013: TV Guide Magazine 'Producer of the Year'
- 2014: Anti-Defamation League 'Entertainment Award'
He has also won many awards for his TV shows, including multiple Primetime Emmy Awards for Survivor, The Voice, and Shark Tank. His shows have also won Critics' Choice Awards and People's Choice Awards many times.
Published Books
- Mark Burnett; Martin Dugard (2000). Survivor: the Ultimate Game. New York: TV Books, L. L. C. ISBN: 9781575001432.
See also
- List of television producers
