The creator of ‘The Apprentice’, a quintessential British television producer, Mark Burnett, has played a significant role in boosting Donald Trump’s fame which eventually led to his presidential journey. Now, Trump has returned the favor by naming Burnett as the special envoy to the UK. Burnett, a 64-year-old media icon with an illustrious TV production and business career, adds a fresh mix of diplomatic insight and international reputation to this critical position. Interestingly, Burnett’s trajectory to political power and international diplomacy has been anything but ordinary.
Burnett, a former paratrooper in the British Army, transitioned from a male nanny into a powerhouse figure within the reality TV industry. He spent his childhood years in Dagenham, Essex, a place he fondly refers to as ‘gray and grimy’. The son of Ford factory workers, Burnett was topic alumni of a local comprehensive school. At the tender age of 17, he made the decision to join the British Army.
His ascension within the Military ranks was rapid, earning him the role of a Section Commander in the Parachute Regiment. With active involvement in the Falkland Wars and in Northern Ireland, Burnett harnessed his experiences to retell stories that could make compelling television. This led him to venture into television, commencing his transformation into a prominent TV producer.
Quite intrinsic to Burnett’s career as a TV producer was his purchase of format rights. This gave birth to an American version known as ‘Eco-Challenge’ which became the springboard for his career in television. In 2014, Burnett’s innovation delivered ‘The Apprentice’, wherein he fused the concept of ‘Survivor’ in an urban setting to make a unique reality TV show.
Years of managing ‘The Apprentice’ played a pivotal role in transforming Trump from an obscure real estate mogul to a well-recognized television personality. Over the course of 14 seasons, the show successfully turned Trump into a star. Burnett subsequently became the brains behind other hit reality programs like ‘The Voice’ and ‘Shark Tank’.
Tony Schwartz, the author of ‘The Art of the Deal’, firmly credits ‘The Apprentice’ as the driving factor that brought Trump into the national limelight. Despite this, back in 2017, Burnett devoted his time and effort to Trump’s inaugural proceedings. The relationship between Burnett and Trump has been described by Burnett as ‘one of the most significant relationships of his life’, a sentiment backed by many years of camaraderie.
Having traversed from a beach-side t-shirt seller to a Hollywood powerhouse, Burnett’s journey epitomizes the concept of the American Dream. Alongside his successful career in television and business, Burnett holds considerable experience in global philanthropy. However, he does not downplay the fact that his political expertise is limited.
Burnett has openly acknowledged his doubts in politics, once saying, ‘I have no idea about politics.’ Yet, he also professed that he immensely enjoyed observing political happenings from a distance. Interestingly, like Trump, Burnett also penned self-help books. One of his best-known works is ‘Jump In!: Even if You Don’t Know How to Swim.’