WASHINGTON — After wrapping up season 47 of “Survivor,” it appears executive producer Mark Burnett is following his former reality show colleague into the world of politics.
President-elect Donald Trump appointed the 64-year-old Emmy Award-winning TV maven as his special envoy to the United Kingdom.
Special envoys act as personal representatives of the president or secretary of state, focusing on a certain region or issue that requires “sustained, high-level attention,” according to the American Foreign Service Association.
While Burnett was born in London, it’s not clear what particular skills make him a good fit to be a special envoy to the U.K. It is clear, however, that his relationship with Trump goes back decades.
Burnett created “The Apprentice,” the boardroom reality show that made Trump a household name. It ran from 2004 to 2015 with both Trump and Burnett at the helm.
A longstanding heavy-hitter in reality TV, Burnett is best known for bringing the hit series “Survivor” to the United States in 2000. He’s also responsible for creating and/or producing “Shark Tank,” “The Voice” and “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” — to name a few.
More recently, Burnett served as chairman of MGM’s worldwide television group until 2022, when the studio was acquired by Amazon.
The TV producer, who has also seen success in creating Christian entertainment, gave the keynote address at President Obama’s last National Prayer Breakfast and introduced Trump at his first National Prayer Breakfast.
“With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social announcing Burnett’s appointment.
“Mark will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges,” the president-elect continued.
Burnett is just the latest Trump appointment with ties to television. His Cabinet picks so far include MTV star-turned-politician Sean Duffy, former talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz, WWE mogul Linda McMahon and Fox News host Pete Hegseth.
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