Trump taps 'Apprentice' producer Mark Burnett as special envoy to UK and Tilman Fertitta as Italy ambassador

Mark Burnett, the powerful producer who reintroduced Donald Trump to a national television audience with "The Apprentice," has been appointed by the president-elect as special envoy to the United Kingdom in his next government.

Donald Trump with television producer Mark Burnett in 2017.

Evan Vucci/AP Photo

"With a distinguished career in television production and business, Mark brings a unique blend of diplomatic acumen and international recognition to this important role," the president said on Saturday.

Burnett, who was born in London, has produced blockbusters such as "Survivor" and "The Voice," but he is most known for collaborating with Trump on "The Apprentice," which premiered on NBC in 2004.

Trump had been well-known in the real estate and pop culture communities for decades. But the program helped him re-establish himself as a household figure, despite the fact that Trump ended his relationship with NBC in 2015, the same year he started his first presidential campaign.

Burnett's appointment follows Trump's trend of filling his incoming administration with people with high-profile backgrounds in television, politics, or both — including his choice for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, a former co-host of "Fox & Friends Weekend," and Mehmet Oz, an ex-television doctor and unsuccessful Senate candidate in Pennsylvania.

Trump's first campaign in 2016 was shattered by claims about his behavior on "The Apprentice" and other appearances while working for NBC, particularly in tape in which he said he could sexually attack women and get away with it because he was a "star."

Almost a decade after quitting his reality TV position, Trump's television career is still important to his biography and political climb. The presentation introduced tens of millions of people to Trump Tower as a symbol of power and achievement, just before Trump started his first campaign from the building's lobby.

"Mark is known for creating and producing some of the biggest shows in television history," Trump wrote in his statement on Burnett, listing many of his biggest successes before adding, "most notably, 'The Apprentice'" and noting that Burnett "has won 13 Emmy Awards!"

Later Saturday, Trump revealed in a separate announcement that he had chosen casino billionaire Tilman Fertitta as the United States ambassador to Italy.

Burnett, meanwhile, will serve as a special envoy, a position often held by presidents in traditional hotspots such as the Middle East, where Trump has previously stated that he would prefer Steven Witkoff to take the job. The United Kingdom, which has long had a "special relationship" with the United States, making it one of Washington's biggest worldwide allies, is not often considered for such positions.

However, ahead of Inauguration Day on January 20, Trump has announced a series of special envoy roles for numerous prominent loyalists, including his former ambassador to Germany, Richard Grenell, who he has appointed as envoy for special missions. This news follows Adam Boehler's appointment as special presidential envoy for hostage matters and Keith Kellogg's appointment as special envoy to Ukraine and Russia.

Trump had announced on December 2 that he was appointing billionaire investment banker Warren Stephens to the more traditional position of US ambassador to Britain. This may raise concerns about how a special U.K. ambassador may overlap duties, but the president-elect stated in his statement that Burnett "will work to enhance diplomatic relations, focusing on areas of mutual interest, including trade, investment opportunities, and cultural exchanges."