Mark Burnett Age, Net Worth, Wife, Family and wiki Bio

Mark Burnett is a British television producer and media personality. As of 2023, his net worth is estimated to be around $500 million. Burnett is best known for creating and producing popular TV reality shows including “The Apprentice” and “Survivor.”

Also, Mark Burnett is the Chairman of MGM Worldwide Television Group. So far, Burnett’s TV series has won over 140 Emmys and Mark himself has won about 12 Emmys as a producer.

As we go further in this article, we will be discussing Mark Burnett’s biography, his family, relationships, wife, and children. We will also explore his physical attributes, career, how he made his money, and other facts about him. Stay with us.

Mark Burnett Wiki/ Biography

Born on July 17, 1960, James Mark Burnett is 63 years old in 2023. He was born in London, England, and raised in Essex by both parents, Jean Burnett and Archie Burnett who were factory workers.

Mark Burnett attended the Warren School, in Romford, England, and graduated in 1976. Then he got into Redbridge Technical College, Ilford, England graduating in 1978.

At the age of 17, Burnett enlisted in the British Army. He rose in rank pretty fast and before long, he became a section commander in the Parachute Regiment. He would later serve with the 3rd Battalion during the Falkland War and the conflicts in Northern Ireland.

He left the army in 1982 as a decorated soldier. Upon his leaving the army, Burnett was unsure of what life held for him. Eventually, he took up an offer to work as a military adviser in Central America for a secret mission.

He didn’t give details of the job to anyone, even his mother. He only told her it was security related. His mother advised him to stay but his mind was made up. So he left home and headed for the airport. At the airport, he had a rethink about the mission and eventually decided to heed his mother, so he stayed back in Los Angeles.

That’s how he started living in Los Angeles and eventually chose a career in the entertainment industry. Before that, he had worked as a Nanny in an American home, even without experience. Today, Mark Burnett is one of the most successful people in the entertainment world with numerous awards.

Mark Burnett’s Family, Wife, and Relationships

Mark Burnett was raised in a Christian family. His father, Jean Burnett was a devoted Roman Catholic while his mother, Archie Burnett was a dedicated Presbyterian. We can conclude that Mark followed his father’s Faith as he has been spotted severally with Roman Catholic clergymen.

There isn’t much information about Mark’s family but some reports show that he was the only child. We can only imagine how hard it was for his parents to let him join the army knowing what they stood to lose.

As for his relationship life, Mark Burnett was formerly married to Kym Gold. The marriage lasted for only a year or less before they divorced 1988- 1989). Before the divorce, Mark was already seeing Dianne J. Burnett.

They eventually got married in 1992. The marriage produced 2 boys, James and Cameron.

Cameron suffered a neuroendocrine tumor at the age of 17. He underwent brain surgery and eventually recovered, learning how to work again.

Mark’s marriage with Dianne lasted for 14 years before they divorced (1993 – 2006). They had filed for divorce in 2002 but the official separation happened in 2006. While they were working out their divorce, Mark started dating Tv producer and actress Roma Downey in 2004.

During a family vacation in Mexico in 2006, Mark proposed and they eventually got married in 2007. They have been together since then and there is no doubt that the two are very much in love. This is shown in the many pictures of Downey on Mark Burnett’s Instagram page.

The couple currently lives in Malibu, California in a $4.5 million oceanfront home in Malibu. Also, he bought a $25 million for a 5-bedroom oceanfront home in Malibu in 2005. In 2007, Burnett’s wife Roma Downey moved into his house and had to put her exquisite Malibu home up for rent.

The home is located in an exclusive Colony gated community and is one of the few oceanside homes with a pool. For this, the home rents out for $100,000 per month during the summer and $60,000 per month off-season.

Mark enjoys spending time with his family and friends. As seen on his Instagram page, he goes on fishing adventures and sightseeing too.

He also has two dogs, Max and Red. He enjoys spending time with them and has shared their pictures on his Instagram page as well.

Mark is also a devoted Christian who has done a lot of charity and is seen at one time or another with Catholic clergymen including Cardinals and even the Pope.  He also produced a Christian movie, Son of God, and the Pope came to bless the movie project.

Physical Appearance

Mark Burnett is 5 ft 10 in tall and weighs about 80 kg. He has a muscular build and although he is over 60, he still looks quite strong. Although he is mostly seen in corporate attire due to his work, he also enjoys casual fits.

His facial expressions are often jovial as he puts on a smile most times. He has a pair of hazel eyes and dark brown hair. His beard is sometimes clean-shaven or he keeps a light stubble.

Mark Burnett is a merry fellow who despite his age and career requirements enjoys spending time with people, especially family and friends. He has been captured on vacations and fishing trips with friends.

Career

When Burnett read about Raid Gauloises in the Los Angeles Times, he discovered his adventure. The annual Raid Gauloises adventure race is held in France. Five competitors from different nations raced each other for two weeks in an unusual location as part of the competition.

They endured a variety of arduous challenges, including parachuting, kayaking marathons, and horseback riding, to mention a few. In America, there has never been a tournament like this. He assembled a five-person team, making them the first American team to ever compete.

After experiencing that pleasure, Burnett started pitching his idea to people. He held it in Utah under the name “Eco-Challenge”. It debuted on MTV and was subsequently shown on USA Network and The Discovery Channel. The performance was a hit. That was how Burnett’s career as a TV producer began in the 1990s.

During the eco-challenge, Burnett was mainly interested in the way the teams interacted with one another, not the competition itself. As a result, he had the idea for “Survivor.”

British producer Charlie Parsons is credited with coming up with the concept. Burnett chose to purchase the rights from Parson in 1998 because he had the idea but Parson owned the patent. The performance was delayed by two years before being aired on television.

Network after network denied it throughout this period. Finally, CBS broadcast it in the summer, when most networks were airing repeats. The hit television show Survivor is still on the air today.

However, the first season was the one that had the entire country of America glued to their televisions. Over 50 million people watched the show’s finale.

Burnett and his wife received a large sum of money when MGM acquired a 55% share in One Three Media and United Artists Media Group in 2014. Burnett accepted a five-year contract to become the president of MGM in 2014.

Burnett oversaw the creation of several scripted and reality shows after rising to the position of leadership within the organization, including “Condor,” “Fargo,” “Get Shorty,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and “Vikings.” Shows like “Survivor,” “Shark Tank,” “Celebrity Apprentice,” and many others are still produced by MGM.

Mark Burnett was appointed Chairman of MGM Worldwide in 2018.

So far, Mark Burnett has received numerous awards as a producer and philanthropist. Some of them include:

• Brandweek Marketer of the Year Award (2004)
• Reality Cares Foundation’s Philanthropist of the Year (2004)
• ‘Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award’ (2004)
• Time Magazine: ‘Time 100: 100 Most Influential People in the World Today (2004)
• Rose d’Or Frapa Format Award (2005)
• Producers Guild of America ‘Norman Lear Award’ (2009)
• Hollywood Walk of Fame Star: ‘Excellence in Television (2009)
• Producers Guild of America’s lifetime achievement Award in Television (2010)
• TV Guide Magazine ‘Producer of the Year (2013)
• The Dove Foundation Recognition of ‘Son of God (2013)
• Anti-Defamation League ‘Entertainment Award’ (2014), etc.

Mark Burnett Net Worth Summary

Mark Burnett earns primarily from being a TV producer. He has produced many popular TV series that were watched by millions in America and beyond. So it is safe to say that his net worth and fame have been increasing with each popular TV series he produced.

The reality show, Shark Tank, produced by Mark Burnett has a net worth of about $6 billion. It is also estimated that he earned over $11 million annually from “Survivor”. The show he created, Celebrity Apprentice, is also raking in millions annually.

Not to forget that Mark Burnett is also unto real estate. He makes over $60,000 per month from renting out his Malibu home during summer. This also contributes to his $500 million net worth.

All the details above show how Mark Burnett came to have a $500 million net worth. It is estimated that his net worth may decline in the coming years as he approaches his retirement from the entertainment industry.