Mark Burnett has a long history of producing Emmy Award-winning adventure television in international locations. Burnett's entrepreneurial spirit has helped pioneer the success of the "unscripted" reality drama series and bring it to mainstream television.

SURVIVOR was recently named the Number One Reality Show and the Number Seven Favorite Show on Television in TV Week's Annual Critics Poll. In January 2003, SURVIVOR won the award for Favorite Reality-Based Television Program at the 29th Annual People's Choice Awards, its third consecutive victory. In September 2002, SURVIVOR received four Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Nonfiction Programming (Special Class). In September 2001, Burnett received six Emmy nominations for SURVIVOR, taking the honors for Outstanding Nonfiction Programming (Special Class) and Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming (Single or Multicamera). The show was nominated for the 2003 Teen Choice Awards as Choice TV Reality Show and Favorite Reality Host (Jeff Probst). SURVIVOR received a Special Recognition Award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). The series also received the 2001 Family Television Award for Reality/Alternative Programming and took honors at the 9th Annual Diversity Awards for Most Diverse Television Ensemble Cast.

Burnett began his career in unscripted drama-adventures series when he created "Eco-Challenge." He has since served as executive producer on nine "Eco-Challenge" events and programs. "Eco-Challenge: British Columbia" earned him a 1996 Sports Emmy Award nomination and a 1997 International Documentary Association Award nomination. In 2000, Burnett received a Sports Emmy Award for Outstanding Program Achievement for "Eco-Challenge: Morocco," and was awarded the prestigious Banff Rockie Award in the Sports Program Category at the 2000 Banff Rockie Awards Festival. He received an Emmy Award nomination for "Eco-Challenge: Borneo" in September 2001.

Burnett was the executive producer of the unscripted drama series "Combat Missions." In addition to SURVIVOR, he is currently executive producer of "The Restaurant," "The Apprentice" and "North Shore."

Burnett has written three books, Survivor: The Official Companion Book to the CBS Television Series, Survivor II: The Official Companion Book to the CBS Television Series and Dare to Succeed: How to Survive and Thrive in the Games of Life. He is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, sits on the board of directors of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and served two elected terms on the board of directors of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts in Los Angeles. He is also a member of the Producers Guild.

Burnett is a former member of the famed British Army Parachute Regiment, with active service medals in both the Northern Ireland and Falklands conflicts. He is an open-water certified scuba diver and a Level A certified skydiver, has completed a whitewater guide course and is Advanced Wilderness First Aid certified.

Burnett lives in Los Angeles, California. His birth date is July 17.