Hollywood TV large married to well-known Irish actress

Mark Burnett obtained the two,387th star on the Hollywood Stroll of Fame, however he credit his time within the British Military with shaping him as an individual.

Burnett (64) was appointed particular envoy to the UK by US President-elect Donald Trump.

He’s married to Derry-born actress Roma Downey, greatest identified for her function as Monica the Angel within the American tv sequence Touched by an Angel.

Burnett’s many tv credit embrace producing the hit US actuality present The Apprentice, hosted by Trump, who in 2016 referred to as Burnett a “particular, particular pal”.

London-born Burnett has received 13 Emmy Awards, served as chairman of MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer), and was named probably the most influential individuals on the planet by Time journal in 2004.

However his beginnings had been removed from the glittering phases of Hollywood.

Burnett was born July 17, 1960 to Archibald and Jean Burnett.

He grew up in Dagenham in Essex, the place his father labored on the manufacturing line of automotive producer Ford and his mom labored in a automotive battery manufacturing unit.

An solely little one, Burnett attended a complete faculty after which faculty earlier than enlisting within the British Military on the age of 18.

He was a part of the Parachute Regiment and served within the Falklands Struggle and in Northern Eire.

“My army expertise formed me as an individual,” he mentioned in an interview with the Tv Academy.

He cited the 2 most essential issues he realized from the army: studying to “do the whole lot it’s essential to do with loads much less” and “a way of journey.”

He left the military and England on the age of twenty-two to develop into “a manny” – a male nanny – for a household in Beverley Hills, Los Angeles.

He labored in childcare, insurance coverage and frolicked promoting T-shirts on the seaside, earlier than his TV breakthrough within the Nineties.

Burnett took half within the French journey present Raid Gauloise and launched an American model, Eco-Problem, in 1995.

He went on to create the hit actuality tv reveals Survivor, The Apprentice and Are You Smarter Than A fifth Grader?.

Burnett instructed the Tv Academy that his thought for The Apprentice got here after his son referred to as him and complained about not remembering what he seemed like, which made him take into consideration making a Survivor kind present set in a metropolis.

“Donald Trump got here to thoughts,” he mentioned.

“I met Donald and he instructed me how a lot he cherished Survivor and if I ever had any concepts for him he would love to listen to them and he would like to work with me.

“I consider a job interview present with a reward, the winner getting an enormous job at a significant American firm and Trump was the plain alternative.

“Having the chance to satisfy Donald straight, having the credibility of Survivor behind me, and the remaining is historical past.”

“It grew to become successful present.”

The British producer helped construct Trump’s notoriety, however distanced himself from the tycoon in the course of the 2016 presidential election.

In October 2016, Burnett and his spouse, Irish actress Roma Downey, criticized “the hatred, division and misogyny which has been a really unlucky facet of his marketing campaign”.

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However then he launched Trump at his first nationwide prayer breakfast.

The then president mentioned on the occasion: “I additionally wish to thank my nice buddies, Roma. The place is Rome? The attractive Roma Downey. The voice of an angel.

“Every little thing about Roma is so lovely, together with her husband as a result of he’s a really particular pal, Mark Burnett – for the great introduction.”