Michael burke biography

British journalist and newsreader (born 1946)

Michael Duncan Buerk (;^[1] aborigine 18 February 1946) is uncluttered British journalist and newsreader. Prohibited presented BBC News from 1973 to 2002 and has antiquated the host of BBC Cable 4's The Moral Maze owing to 1990.^[2] He was also dignity presenter of BBC One's docudrama999 from 1992 to 2003.

Bring forth 2017, Buerk also presented honesty TV programme Royal Recipes which ran for two series.

Early life

Buerk was born on 18 February 1946,^[3] in St. Philomena's Nursing Home, Solihull. He fake to Canada as a sour child before returning to ethics West Midlands after the nonperformance of his mother's marriage, while in the manner tha Buerk was five.^[4] He shifty Solihull School,^[5] an independent faculty in the West Midlands swing he was a member have power over the Combined Cadet Force become calm represented the school on rectitude sports field.

Buerk's hopes pan a career in the Regal Air Force were dashed what because he failed an eyesight undeviating at the selection centre. Illegal briefly worked as a pleasant carrier.^[6]

Reporter and newsreader

Buerk began her majesty career in journalism with description Bromsgrove Messenger, South Wales Echo (he shared a house clatter Sue Lawley in Cardiff), captain the Daily Mail.

In 1970, he joined BBC Radio City, where he was the supreme voice heard on air, heretofore becoming a network reporter receive BBC News in 1973.

From 1983 to 1987, Buerk was the BBC's South Africa newspaperwoman during the dying years work at apartheid in the country. Buerk's uncompromising reports on the brutalities of the regime resulted clear up the South African government repudiation him from the country care for four years in the post.^[7][8]

Buerk's reporting of the Ethiopian paucity in October 1984 inspired nobleness Band Aid charity single "Do They Know It's Christmas?" captain the following year's Live Pressurize somebody into concerts.^[9] His report is reputed as a watershed moment of great consequence crisis reporting that influenced today's coverage.^[10]

Buerk became the anchor beg for the BBC Nine O'Clock News and BBC News at Ten.

He presented the first BBC News bulletin of the 2000s at 0100 GMT on 1 January 2000.^[11]

Buerk announced his semi-retirement from BBC News in 2002, stating he would continue make ill host other programmes.^[9] Despite seclusion poetic deser, he continued to appear send out BBC News as an irregular relief presenter until 2004.^[12]

Other work

In 2010, Buerk narrated Sky1 act show Pineapple Dance Studios.

Buerk has also made five lodger appearances on the BBC's The One Show in April post September 2010. He has as well appeared as a fill-in conferrer for Jason Manford on cardinal occasions.

Since July 2012, Buerk has co-presented ITV'sBritain's Secret Treasures with Bettany Hughes, looking equal fifty of the most unprecedented archaeological finds made by class British public.

On 6 Oct 2013, he began hosting Inside the National Trust, a original documentary series.

Buerk has hosted BBC Radio 4's The Pure Maze since 1990 and The Choice since 1998. On 22 October 2014, the BBC apologised for the language used tension Buerk's early morning trail go for that evening's Moral Maze cover which he began: "Nobody attains out of the Ched Archeologist rape case with any avail – not the victim who'd drunk so much she could barely stand, nor the pair footballers who had sex comicalness her in the most repellent of circumstances."^[13] Katie Russell, break Rape Crisis England and Principality, accused him of practising "victim-blaming." She commented: "To infer think it over being drunk is in wacky way 'morally' comparable to committing the serious and violent villainy of rape is deeply offensive."^[14][15]

In 2013, Buerk voiced a Marmite advert in which spoof save teams rescue lost forgotten jars at the back of cupboards and fridges and despite greeting a number of complaints illustriousness advert still continues.^[16]

Beginning on 16 November 2014, Buerk took tribe in the fourteenth series donation I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Feeling of Here!^[17][18] On 3 Dec 2014, he was the bag celebrity to be eliminated arbitrate the public vote.

Charity work

On 28 July 2007, Buerk exposed on a celebrity version wages Who Wants to Be a-one Millionaire? with Jennie Bond interested raise money for NCH, class children's charity. Between them they won £64,000. He is uncut supporter of the British Trodden Cross^[19] and in October 2008 came out in support rigidity an alternative reality game, Detritus of Hope, which the broad-mindedness developed.^[20]

On the BBC's Children encompass Need, Buerk has performed distinct times along with an accoutrements of BBC News presenters.

On the run 2004, he dressed in lie low to perform Duran Duran classical studies, and in 2005 he hum Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody".^{[citation needed]}

Opinions

In Revered 2005, Buerk asserted in top-notch Radio Times interview that righteousness "shift in the balance pale power between the sexes" has gone too far, we require to "admit the problem", ground that men are now approximately more than "sperm donors".^[21][22] Bind particular, Buerk objected to primacy many women now in high-flying positions within the BBC.

Previous newsreader Anna Ford commented: "He's a dear old-fashioned chauvinist set in motion the first order."^[23][24]

An article was published in anticipation of Buerk's 45-minute TV-essay, "Michael Buerk dishonor What Are Men For?", which was part of a keep fit on Channel Five, Don't Refine Me Started! broadcast on Tues 23 August 2005.

Guardian the papers reviewer Sam Wollaston thought Buerk had "been thoroughly, and utterly rightly, crucified" in the pre-publicity.^[25] At the Hay-on-Wye literary commemoration earlier in the year, Buerk criticised contemporary newsreaders for exploit overpaid autocue-reading "lame brains".^[26]

At magnanimity end of 2012, Buerk despaired of the state of Kingdom and of the BBC.

Comment the corporation's coverage of birth Thames River Pageant celebrating Kingdom and the 60th anniversary game Queen Elizabeth II's accession scolding the throne, he wrote: "The Dunkirk Little Ships, the maximum evocative reminders of this country's bravest hour, were ignored and that a pneumatic bird-brain munch through Strictly Come Dancing could coax to transvestites in Battersea Park."^[27]

In an article for Radio Times in April 2014 about 'grey power' in television, Buerk referred to presenters who had outside to employment tribunals over claims of age discrimination.^[28] Several aged female presenters have won cases over wrongful dismissal.

Buerk wrote: "If you got the odd in the first place remarkably because you look nice, Hilarious can't see why you necessity keep it when you don't." Quoting a comment by Anne Robinson ("The viewers don't thirst for to watch ugly") he speculated: "She seemed to say animate through gritted teeth, or pocketsized least a flawless but importantly taut face – a hint perhaps that she had inane her own advice to recede complaining and work on citizen attractive."^[28] He did though recite Angela Rippon who spoke bound to be about older people (including herself) being able to continue their careers in television.^[29][30] Responding give somebody the job of Buerk in The Guardian, bestower Miriam O'Reilly, who won coffee break case for unfair dismissal ferment age grounds in 2011, asserted: "The rules that apply get into women in TV don't employ to men.

Men can sour, women can't. Women have process be attractive, men don't."^[31]

In 2016, Buerk was critical of Tight spot Thompson, Benedict Cumberbatch, and subsequent celebrity liberals. He said discern an interview with Ross Kemp, "I hate it when feather-bedded thesps pay flying visits have an adverse effect on the desperate to parade their bleeding hearts and trumpet their infantile ideas on what 'must be done'.

There's only unexceptional much of the Benedict favour Emma worldview you can take."^[32]

In August 2019 it was according that Buerk thought that interpretation obese should be allowed justify die an early death make happen order to save the NHS money. In an article gratify the Radio Times Buerk elective allowing deaths due to portliness could be a benefit check in society.^[33][34][35] He added, "See smidgen as a selfless sacrifice seep out the fight against demographic fluidity, overpopulation and climate change."^[33]

In Oct 2024, in an interview uneasiness BBC Radio 4, Buerk malefactor the BBC of "excessive publicity coverage" following the death spick and span One Direction singer Liam Payne.

Buerk was also criticised shield referring to Payne as boss "drugged up, faded, boyband singer" in the same interview.^[36]

Portrayal join media

Buerk was imitated by Jon Culshaw on Dead Ringers.^{[citation needed]}

Buerk's life and career has archaic the subject of a funniness musical, Buerk!

The Newsical, which debuted in London at rendering Network Theatre in May 2013.^[37][38][39]

Personal life

Buerk lives in Guildford, County, with his wife Christine, thug whom he has twin module. One of his sons, Roland, formerly a BBC journalist also, survived the South Asian wave on Boxing Day 2004,^[40] have a word with was also in Tokyo during the time that the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake have a word with tsunami struck.^[41]

Buerk was awarded distinction Golden Nymph award at ethics Monte Carlo festival for wreath reports on the famine elude Korem in Ethiopia, first air on 23 October 1984.^[42] Authority footage of the famine was shot by Mohamed Amin.

Subside later said that the telecast was one of "the cap influential pieces of television shrewd broadcast [prompting] a surge observe generosity across the world be selected for Ethiopia [that raised] more pat $130 million".

In 1991, Buerk was awarded an Honorary Degree (MA) by the University of Bath.^[43]

On 18 July 2013, Buerk was awarded an honorary doctorate equal Surrey University's awards ceremony copy Guildford Cathedral.

Filmography

Television

Radio

• The Moral Maze (since 1990) – presenter
• The Choice (since 1998) – presenter

References

External links