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 the flagship 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, alongside its shorter lunchtime equivalent, North West Today. 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 broadcast on 30 September.
He is also the voice of "The Chain" feature and other features on the Radcliffe & Maconie show on BBC 6 Music.
Burns is also the cousin of British songwriter/singer Ed Sheeran.
Read more about this topic: Gordon Burns
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