Gordon Burns
| Gordon Burns | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gordon Henry Burns 10 June 1942 (age 69) Belfast, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK |
| Nationality | British |
| Education | Dulwich College Campbell College |
| Occupation | Broadcaster, journalist |
| Years active | 1973–present |
| Notable credit(s) | Presenting: The Krypton Factor (1977–1995) Co-presenting: North West Tonight (1997–2011) |
Gordon Burns (born 10 June 1942) is a Northern Irish-born British journalist and broadcaster who hosted Granada TV's popular game show The Krypton Factor for its original 18 year run (1977–1995). From 1997 to 2011, he was the chief anchorman for the BBC regional news programme North West Tonight.
Due to his work commitments with Granada Manchester on programmes such as World in Action and Granada Reports and later BBC Manchester for North West Tonight, he has resided in Manchester for over thirty years due to his work commitments on local media. Burns now hosts a Sunday morning radio show for BBC Radio Manchester and BBC Radio Lancashire. He is known for a bona fide style of presenting which has made him popular with his audience.[1][2]
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[edit] Personal life
Burns lived in Lisburn in Northern Ireland up to the age of five, and returned from London, where his father had worked as the editor of Hansard. He was educated at Dulwich College, a boys' independent school in South London, then at 13, attended Campbell College, a grammar school in Belfast.[3]
[edit] Career
He began his journalism career working on the Belfast Telegraph and worked on BBC radio's long-running Sports Report before joining Ulster Television as a sports editor and programme producer in 1967. Two years later, Burns began presenting the nightly news programme UTV Reports, first as a stand-in for regular frontman David Mahlowe and later as a chief anchor, during the early stages of The Troubles. In 1973, Burns joined Granada Television to anchor their nightly news programme Granada Reports and to work on the station's current affairs output, including World in Action.
Burns' status as a national celebrity began with his association of ITV's popular game show The Krypton Factor which he presented for eighteen years from 1977 to 1995. He was the presenter of Password for Ulster Television, one of their few programmes shown throughout the ITV network, and also hosted a segment in several series of LWT's Surprise, Surprise. During the 1980s, Burns also continued reporting from the political party conferences for the ITV network and presenting the Channel 4 current affairs series Irish Angle.
From 1997 to 2011, Burns presented North West Tonight, its shorter lunchtime equivalent, North West Today, and also the three minute mid-afternoon bulletin each weekday. In 2007, Ranvir Singh joined as co-anchor of the previously single-headed main evening programme. Burns announced in April 2011 that he would be retiring from the role but would move onto present a Sunday morning show on BBC Radio Manchester and BBC Radio Lancashire in September 2011 with his last TV bulletin being on 30 September.
He is also the voice of "The Chain" feature and other features on the Radcliffe & Maconie show on BBC 6 Music.[3]
Burns is the cousin of British songwriter/singer Ed Sheeran.
[edit] References
- ^ "Gordon Burns to step down from BBC North West Tonight". bbc.co.uk. 15 April 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-1309804. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
- ^ "Gordon Burns on life in the hot seat". how-do.co.uk. 10 July 2007. http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-features/special-features/gordon-burns-on-life-in-the-hot-seat-20070710621.
- ^ a b BBC - North West Tonight - Presenters - Gordon Burns
