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"Why grey power is now a force to be reckoned with on television"
''Radio Times'', 12 April 2014 Several older female presenters have won cases over wrongful dismissal. Buerk wrote: "If you got the job in the first place mainly because you look nice, I can't see why you should keep it when you don't." Quoting a comment by
Michael Buerk through the years.''Moral Maze''
(BBC Radio 4)
British Red Cross profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buerk, Michael 1946 births BBC newsreaders and journalists English people of Canadian descent I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) participants Living people People associated with the Royal National College for the Blind People educated at Solihull School People from Guildford People from Solihull
Michael Duncan Buerk (born 18 February 1946) is a British journalist and newsreader. He presented
In 2010, Buerk narrated
''BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadc ...
from 1973 to 2002 and has been the host of BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...
's '' The Moral Maze'' since 1990. He was also the presenter of BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
's docudrama
Docudrama (or documentary drama) is a genre of television and film, which features dramatized re-enactments of actual events. It is described as a hybrid of documentary and drama and "a fact-based representation of real event".
Docudramas typic ...
'' 999'' from 1992 to 2003. From 2017, Buerk also presented the TV series ''Royal Recipes'' which ran for two seasons.
Early life
Buerk was born on 18 February 1946 inSolihull
Solihull (, or ) is a market town and the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in West Midlands County, England. The town had a population of 126,577 at the 2021 Census. Solihull is situated on the River Blyth ...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Avo ...
, and attended Solihull School
Solihull School is a coeducational independent day school in Solihull, West Midlands, England. Founded in 1560, it is the oldest school in the town and is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.
History
In 1560 th ...
, an independent school in the West Midlands where he was a member of the Combined Cadet Force
The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) is a youth organisation in the United Kingdom, sponsored by the Ministry of Defence (MOD), which operates in schools, and normally includes Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force sections. Its aim is to "provide a ...
and represented the school on the sports field.
Buerk's hopes of a career in the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
were dashed when he failed an eyesight test at the selection centre. He briefly worked as a hod carrier.
Reporter and newsreader
Buerk began his career in journalism with the ''Bromsgrove Messenger'', ''South Wales Echo
The ''South Wales Echo'' is a daily tabloid newspaper published in Cardiff, Wales and distributed throughout the surrounding area. It has a circulation of 7,573.
Background
The newspaper was founded in 1884 and was based in Thomson House ...
'' (he shared a house with Sue Lawley
Susan Lawley (born 14 July 1946) is a retired English television and radio broadcaster. Her main broadcasting background involved television news and current affairs. From 1988–2006, Lawley was the presenter of '' Desert Island Discs'' on BBC ...
in Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of Wales. It forms a Principal areas of Wales, principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a ...
), and the ''Daily Mail
The ''Daily Mail'' is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper and news websitePeter Wilb"Paul Dacre of the Daily Mail: The man who hates liberal Britain", ''New Statesman'', 19 December 2013 (online version: 2 January 2014) publish ...
''. In 1970, he joined BBC Radio Bristol
BBC Radio Bristol is the BBC's local radio station serving Bristol, Bath and North & North East Somerset.
It broadcasts on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at Broadcasting House in Bristol.
According to RAJAR, the stati ...
, where he was the first voice heard on air, before becoming a network reporter for BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadc ...
in 1973.
From 1983 to 1987, Buerk was the BBC's South Africa correspondent during the dying years of apartheid
Apartheid (, especially South African English: , ; , "aparthood") was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. Apartheid was ...
in South Africa. Buerk's uncompromising reports on the brutalities of the regime resulted in the South African government expelling him from the country after four years in the post.
Buerk's reporting of the Ethiopian famine
Famines in Ethiopia have occurred periodically throughout the history of the country, which was formerly known as Abyssinia.
The economy was based on subsistence agriculture, with an aristocracy that consumed the surplus. Due to a number of caus ...
in October 1984 inspired the Band Aid charity record and, subsequently, the Live Aid
Live Aid was a multi-venue benefit concert held on Saturday 13 July 1985, as well as a music-based fundraising initiative. The original event was organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure to raise further funds for relief of the 1983–1985 fami ...
concerts. His report is regarded as a watershed moment in crisis reporting that influenced modern coverage.
He later anchored the '' BBC Nine O'Clock News'' and ''BBC News at Ten
'' BBC News at Ten'' formerly known as the ''BBC Ten O'Clock News'' or the ''Ten O'Clock News'' is the flagship evening news programme for the BBC News channel and British television channel BBC One on weekdays and Sundays at 10:00pm. Huw Ed ...
''. He read the bulletin at 0100 GMT on 1 January 2000, the first BBC News bulletin of the 2000s.
Buerk announced his retirement from BBC News in 2002, though he said he would continue to host other programmes. Despite his retirement, he occasionally appeared on BBC News as an occasional relief presenter until 2004.
Other work
In 2010, Buerk narrated Sky1
Sky One was a British pay television channel operated and owned by Sky Group (a division of Comcast). Originally launched on 26 April 1982 as Satellite Television, it was Europe's first satellite and non- terrestrial channel. From 31 July 1989, ...
reality show ''Pineapple Dance Studios''. Buerk has also made five guest appearances on the BBC's #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...The One Show
''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weeknights at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Jermaine Jenas, and Ronan ...
'' in April and September 2010. He has also appeared as a fill-in presenter for Jason Manford on six occasions.
Since July 2012, Buerk has co-presented ITV's '' Britain's Secret Treasures'' with Bettany Hughes, looking at fifty of the most remarkable archaeological finds made by the British public. On 6 October 2013, he began hosting ''Inside the National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
'', a new documentary series.
Buerk has hosted BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC's ...
's '' The Moral Maze'' since 1990 and ''The Choice'' since 1998. On 22 October 2014, the BBC apologised for the language used in Buerk's early morning trail for that evening's ''Moral Maze'' in which he began: "Nobody comes out of the Ched Evans
Chedwyn Michael Evans (born 28 December 1988) is a Welsh footballer who plays as a striker for Championship club Preston North End.
Born in Rhyl, Evans was signed by Manchester City from Chester City's youth set up in 2002 and he subsequen ...
rape case with any credit – not the victim who'd drunk so much she could barely stand, nor the two footballers who had sex with her in the most sordid of circumstances." Katie Russell, from Rape Crisis England and Wales
Rape Crisis England and Wales is the national umbrella organisation for Rape Crisis Centres across England and Wales. As a registered charity, Rape Crisis also works to raise awareness of sexual violence and campaign for change.
Services
Rape C ...
, accused him of practising "victim-blaming
Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or any wrongful act is held entirely or partially at fault for the harm that befell them. There is historical and current prejudice against the victims of domestic violence and sex crimes, such as ...
." She commented: "To infer that being drunk is in any way 'morally' comparable to committing the serious and violent crime of rape is deeply offensive."
In 2013, Buerk voiced a Marmite advert in which spoof rescue teams rescue lost forgotten jars at the back of cupboards and fridges and despite receiving a number of complaints the advert still continues.
Beginning on 16 November 2014, Buerk took part in the fourteenth series of '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' On 3 December 2014, he was the third celebrity to be eliminated in the public vote.
Charity work
On 28 July 2007, Buerk appeared on a celebrity version of ''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
''Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?'' (often informally called ''Millionaire'') is an international television game show franchise of British origin, created by David Briggs, Mike Whitehill and Steven Knight. In its format, currently owned and l ...
'' with Jennie Bond to raise money for NCH, the children's charity. Between them they won £64,000. He is a supporter of the British Red Cross
The British Red Cross Society is the United Kingdom body of the worldwide neutral and impartial humanitarian network the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The society was formed in 1870, and is a registered charity with mor ...
and in October 2008 came out in support of an alternative reality game, Traces of Hope, which the charity developed.
On the BBC's '' Children in Need'', Buerk has performed several times along with an ensemble of BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broadc ...
presenters. In 2004, he dressed in leather to perform Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band we ...
classics and in 2005, he sang Queen
Queen or QUEEN may refer to:
Monarchy
* Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom
** List of queens regnant
* Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king
* Queen dowager, the widow of a king
* Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mother ...
's "Bohemian Rhapsody
"Bohemian Rhapsody" is a song by the British rock band Queen, released as the lead single from their fourth album, '' A Night at the Opera'' (1975). Written by lead singer Freddie Mercury, the song is a six-minute suite, notable for its lack o ...
".
Opinions
In August 2005, Buerk asserted in a ''Radio Times
''Radio Times'' (currently styled as ''RadioTimes'') is a British weekly listings magazine devoted to television and radio
Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves ...
'' interview that the "shift in the balance of power between the sexes" has gone too far, we need to "admit the problem", and that men are now little more than "sperm donors". In particular, Buerk objected to the many women now in senior positions within the BBC. Former newsreader Anna Ford
Anna Ford (born 2 October 1943) is an English former journalist, television presenter and newsreader. She first worked as a researcher, news reporter and later newsreader for Granada Television, ITN, and the BBC. Ford helped launch the British ...
commented: "He's a dear old-fashioned chauvinist of the first order."
An article was published in anticipation of Buerk's 45-minute TV-essay, "Michael Buerk on What Are Men For?", which was part of a series on Channel Five, ''Don't Get Me Started!'' broadcast on Tuesday 23 August 2005. ''Guardian'' television reviewer Sam Wollaston thought Buerk had "been thoroughly, and quite rightly, crucified" in the pre-publicity. At the Hay-on-Wye literary festival earlier in the year, Buerk criticised contemporary newsreaders for being overpaid autocue-reading "lame brains".
At the end of 2012, Buerk despaired of the state of Britain and of the BBC. Of the corporation's coverage of the Thames River Pageant celebrating Britain and the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
's accession to the throne, he wrote: "The Dunkirk Little Ships, the most evocative reminders of this country's bravest hour, were ignored so that a pneumatic bird-brain from ''Strictly Come Dancing'' could talk to transvestites in Battersea Park."
In an article for ''Radio Times'' in April 2014 about 'grey power' in television, Buerk referred to presenters who had gone to employment tribunals over claims of age discrimination.Michael Buer"Why grey power is now a force to be reckoned with on television"
''Radio Times'', 12 April 2014 Several older female presenters have won cases over wrongful dismissal. Buerk wrote: "If you got the job in the first place mainly because you look nice, I can't see why you should keep it when you don't." Quoting a comment by
Anne Robinson
Anne Josephine Robinson (born 26 September 1944) is an English television presenter and journalist. She was the host of BBC game show '' The Weakest Link'' (2000–2017). She presented the Channel 4 game show ''Countdown'' from June 2021 to Jul ...
("The viewers don't want to watch ugly") he speculated: "She seemed to say it through gritted teeth, or at least a flawless but strangely taut face – a sign perhaps that she had taken her own advice to stop complaining and work on staying attractive." He did though quote Angela Rippon
Angela May Rippon (born 12 October 1944)"Angela Rippon," ''Contemporary Authors Online'', Detroit: Gale, (2008) ''Gale Biography In Context'' is an English television journalist, newsreader, writer and presenter. Rippon presented radio and tele ...
who spoke positively about older people (including herself) being able to continue their careers in television. Responding to Buerk in ''The Guardian'', presenter Miriam O'Reilly
Miriam O'Reilly (born 16 February 1957 in Balbriggan, County Dublin) is an Irish television presenter. Until 2009, she was a presenter on the BBC One rural affairs show ''Countryfile''.
Early life
The daughter of an Irish farmer who came to ...
, who won her case for unfair dismissal on age grounds in 2011, asserted: "The rules that apply to women in TV don't apply to men. Men can age, women can't. Women have to be attractive, men don't."
In 2016, Buerk was critical of Emma Thompson
Dame Emma Thompson (born 15 April 1959) is a British actress. Regarded as one of the best actresses of her generation, she has received numerous accolades throughout her four-decade-long career, including two Academy Awards, two British A ...
, Benedict Cumberbatch
Benedict Timothy Carlton Cumberbatch (born 19 July 1976) is an English actor. Known for his work on screen and stage, he has received various accolades, including a British Academy Television Award, a Primetime Emmy Award and a Laurence Oli ...
, and other celebrity liberals. He said in an interview with Ross Kemp
Ross James Kemp (born 21 July 1964) is an English actor, author, and television presenter. He rose to prominence in the role of Grant Mitchell in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders''. He is also known for his other roles as Graham Lodsworth in ' ...
“I hate it when feather-bedded thesps pay flying visits to the desperate to parade their bleeding hearts and trumpet their infantile ideas on what 'must be done'. There's only so much of the Benedict and Emma worldview you can take."
In August 2019 it was reported that Buerk thought that the obese should be allowed to die an early death in order to save the NHS money. In an article in the ''Radio Times'' Buerk suggested allowing deaths due to obesity could be a benefit to society. He added, "See it as a selfless sacrifice in the fight against demographic imbalance, overpopulation and climate change."
Depictions
Buerk was imitated byJon Culshaw
Jonathan Peter Culshaw (born 2 June 1968) is an English actor, comedian and impressionist. He is best known for his work on the radio comedy '' Dead Ringers'' since 2000.
Culshaw has voiced a number of characters for ITV shows including ''2D ...
on '' Dead Ringers''.
Buerk's life and career has been the subject of a comedy musical, ''Buerk! The Newsical'' which debuted in London at the Network Theatre in May 2013.
Personal life
Buerk lives inGuildford
Guildford ()
is a town in west Surrey, around southwest of central London. As of the 2011 census, the town has a population of about 77,000 and is the seat of the wider Borough of Guildford, which had around inhabitants in . The name "Guildf ...
, Surrey, with his wife Christine, with whom he has twin sons. One of his sons, Roland, formerly a BBC journalist too, survived the South Asian tsunami on Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Though it originated as a holiday to give gifts to the poor, today Boxing Day is primarily known as a shopping holiday. It ...
2004, and was also in Tokyo when the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The occurred at 14:46 Japan Standard Time, JST (05:46 UTC) on 11 March. The Moment magnitude scale, magnitude 9.0–9.1 (M) Submarine earthquake, undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, east of the Oshika Peni ...
struck.
Buerk was awarded the Golden Nymph award at the Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
festival for his reports on the famine from Korem in Ethiopia, first broadcast on 23 October 1984. The footage of the famine was shot by Mohamed Amin
Mohamed Amin (29 August 1943 – 23 November 1996) was a Kenyan photojournalist.
Amin's filming of Michael Buerk's report of the 1984 Ethiopian famine brought international attention to the crisis and eventually helped start the charity wave ...
. He later said that the broadcast was one of "the most influential pieces of television ever broadcast romptinga surge of generosity across the world for Ethiopia hat raisedmore than $130 million".
In 1991, Buerk was awarded an Honorary Degree (MA) by the University of Bath
(Virgil, Georgics II)
, mottoeng = Learn the culture proper to each after its kind
, established = 1886 (Merchant Venturers Technical College) 1960 (Bristol College of Science and Technology) 1966 (Bath University of Technology) 1971 (univ ...
.
On 18 July 2013, Buerk was awarded an honorary "Doctor of the University" degree at Surrey University
The University of Surrey is a public research university in Guildford, Surrey, England. The university received its royal charter in 1966, along with a number of other institutions following recommendations in the Robbins Report. The institutio ...
's awards ceremony in Guildford Cathedral.
Filmography
;Television *'' BBC Points West'' – Reporter/Presenter *''BBC Midlands Today
''Midlands Today'' is the BBC's regional television news service for the West Midlands. It was launched in 1964 and is presented by Mary Rhodes, Nick Owen, Elizabeth Glinka, Rebecca Wood and Shefali Oza.
Overview
''Midlands Today'' is produc ...
'' (executive producer)
*'' BBC South Today'' – Reporter
*'' BBC Nine O'Clock News'' (1976–2000)
*:(Industrial correspondent, 1976–77; Energy/Scotland correspondent 1977–81; South Africa correspondent 1983–87; Main presenter 1988–2000)
*''BBC Ten O'Clock News
'' BBC News at Ten'' formerly known as the ''BBC Ten O'Clock News'' or the ''Ten O'Clock News'' is the flagship evening news programme for the BBC News channel and British television channel BBC One on weekdays and Sundays at 10:00pm. Huw Ed ...
'' (2000–2003)
*''BBC One O'Clock News
The ''BBC News at One'' is the afternoon/lunchtime news bulletin from the BBC. Produced by BBC News, the programme is broadcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel (via British Sign Language) from Monday to Sunday at 1:00pm for 30 minutes, alt ...
'' (1986–2003)
* ''BBC Breakfast
''BBC Breakfast'' is the BBC television breakfast news programme. Produced by BBC News, the programme is broadcast on BBC One and the BBC News channel. The simulcast is presented live, originally from the BBC Television Centre, London before ...
''
* '' 999'' (1992–2003)
* ''A Royal Wedding – HRH Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, (Edward Antony Richard Louis; born 10 March 1964) is a member of the British royal family. He is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and the youngest sibl ...
& Sophie Rhys-Jones
Sophie, Countess of Wessex and Forfar, (born Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, 20 January 1965) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex and Forfar, the youngest brother of King Charles III.
She grew u ...
'' (June 1999) – co-presenter with Sue Barker
Sue or SUE may refer to:
Music
* Sue Records, an American record label
* ''Sue'' (album), an album by Frazier Chorus
* "Sue (Or in a Season of Crime)", a song by David Bowie
Places
* Sue Islet (Queensland), one of the Torres Straits islan ...
at Windsor
Windsor may refer to:
Places Australia
* Windsor, New South Wales
** Municipality of Windsor, a former local government area
* Windsor, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland
**Shire of Windsor, a former local government authority around Wi ...
.
*''Total Eclipse'' (August 1999) – the main presenter on the historic solar Eclipse in Cornwall on BBC One
BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...
.
*''2000 Today
''2000 Today'' was an internationally broadcast television special to commemorate the beginning of the Year 2000. This program included New Year's Eve celebrations, musical performances, and other features from participating nations.
Most inte ...
'' – Co-presenter
*''The One Show
''The One Show'' is a British television magazine and chat show programme. Broadcast live on BBC One weeknights at 7:00 pm, it features topical stories and studio guests. It is currently co-hosted by Alex Jones, Jermaine Jenas, and Ronan ...
'' (September 2010) – Stand-in presenter
*'' Pineapple Dance Studios'' (2010) – Narrator
*'' Britain's Secret Treasures'' (2012–13) – Co-presenter
*''Inside the National Trust'' (2013) – Presenter
*''Britain's Secret Homes'' (2013) – Co-presenter
*'' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' (2014) – Contestant
*''Pompeii with Michael Buerk'' (2016) – Presenter
*''Royal Recipes'' (2017–present) – Presenter
*''Heir Hunters'' (2017–present) - Presenter
*''Britain by Boat'' (2018) - Co-presenter
*''Celebrity 5 go Barging'' (2019) - Co-presenter
;Radio
*'' The Moral Maze'' (since 1990)
*''The Choice'' (since 1998)
References
External links
*Michael Buerk through the years.
(BBC Radio 4)
British Red Cross profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Buerk, Michael 1946 births BBC newsreaders and journalists English people of Canadian descent I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) participants Living people People associated with the Royal National College for the Blind People educated at Solihull School People from Guildford People from Solihull