The Hollywood TV producer who helped to make Donald Trump a household name with the reality show The Apprentice has been chosen as special envoy to the UK.
Mark Burnett, 64, who grew up in Britain, will bring “a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition” to the role, enhancing trade and cultural relations, the president-elect said in a post on social media.
Burnett, who was a critic of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, said: “I am truly honoured to serve the United States of America and President Trump as his special envoy to the United Kingdom.”
Burnett with Donald and Melania Trump in 2006 at an end-of-season party for The Apprentice
MICHAEL BUCKNER/GETTY IMAGES
Trump has already nominated Warren Stephens, a billionaire banker, as ambassador to the UK. Burnett’s role is a separate position and does not need confirmation by the Senate.
When The Apprentice launched in the US in 2004, Trump co-produced it with Burnett until he launched his presidential campaign in 2015 and Arnold Schwarzenegger took over as host.
Burnett was born in London and raised in Dagenham, Essex. He served in the Parachute Regiment before emigrating to the US in 1982, aged 22.
He joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) in 2013 and was chairman of MGM Worldwide Television Group from 2018 to 2022. He has won 13 Emmy awards for his work, including for the hit series Survivor.
Trump, 78, wrote: “With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role.
“Mark is known for creating and producing some of the biggest shows in Television History, including Survivor, Shark Tank, The Voice and, most notably, The Apprentice.”
In 2015 he pitched an interview series with President Putin. Rating his diplomacy skills, Burnett was asked how he would get the Russian leader on board. “I would think I could probably get through to most people,” he said.
During Trump’s first presidential run, Burnett and his wife, the actress Roma Downey, attempted to distance themselves from Trump, criticising the “hatred, division and misogyny that has been a very unfortunate part of his campaign”.
Burnett with his wife, Roma Downey
KEVIN MAZUR/GETTY IMAGES
However, the pair quickly resolved their differences and Burnett helped to organise Trump’s inauguration week festivities.
Trump faced allegations over his behaviour on The Apprentice, with staff and contestants claiming that he used sexist language and rated female contestants by the size of their breasts.
Bill Pruitt, a former Apprentice producer, claimed that Trump had explained his decision not to select Kwame Jackson as the winner on the first season by saying: “Would America buy a n***** winning?” Trump denied this.
Burnett faced pressure to release the alleged tapes, but said at the time that he “does not have the ability nor the right to release footage or other material from The Apprentice”.
Meanwhile, Lord Darroch of Kew, a former British ambassador to the US, said Nigel Farage’s relationship with Trump was going to be part of relations between the two countries.
Asked on Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips on Sky News whether Farage’s connection would “get in the way” for Lord Mandelson when he becomes the UK’s ambassador, Darroch said: “It’s just going to be part of the landscape.”
He added that the Reform leader had “a strong personal relationship” with Trump and that “it’s clear that Farage is going to be over in Washington, perhaps more often than he is in Clacton [his constituency]”.
Darroch said: “Peter Mandelson will speak for the British government, and Donald Trump, ultimately, is interested in power, and he will know that Keir Starmer has a huge majority in the British parliament and is likely to be prime minister for the whole of Donald Trump’s second term.
“So I wouldn’t, if I were Mandelson, worry too much about other voices in Donald Trump’s ear, that’s just going to happen. What you’ve got to do is make yours the most important voice.”