Mark Burnett (Courtesy Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

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Mark Burnett (born 17 July, 1960), a British-born, naturalized citizen of the United States, is a US TV producer known for pioneering reality television as a genre. Burnett produced the series Survivor and the Eco-Challenge adventure race. His eponymous production company setup The Apprentice, The Restaurant, The Casino, Rock Star and The Contender. He is currently collaborating with Steven Spielberg on a show titled On the Lot which will grant one out of 16 contestants an exclusive Hollywood deal with DreamWorks and Spielberg.

Burnett has won two Emmy Awards, and is currently living with Northern Ireland-born actress Roma Downey.

Biography

Mark Burnett was born an only child in London, England. From 1977 to 1982 he served with the British Army in Northern Ireland and took part in the Falklands War. In 1982, Burnett moved to Los Angeles, and for the next decade held a variety of jobs, including a nanny in Beverly Hills and selling t-shirts in Venice Beach.

In 1991, after reading an article on the Raid Gauloises, Burnett purchased the rights from its creator Gerald Fusil, and eventually launched the Eco-Challenge in 1995. In 1996, Burnett successfully adapted another format by purchasing the American rights to Survivor.

In 2005, he published his autobiography JUMP IN!: Even If You Don't Know How to Swim (ISBN 0-345-48098-8) detailing his career in America, from his first job to producing reality television.

Personal

His partner is Roma Downey, who played Monica in the television series Touched by an Angel (1994-2003). He has two sons, James and Cameron, from a previous marriage.

He holds dual US and British citizenship.

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