Brooke Burke biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Brooke Lisa Burke was born in Hartford, Connecticut, on September 8, 1971. She is the oldest of seven children and grew up in Tuscon, Arizona. Brooke Burke's striking looks developed at an early age, due to her ancestry: Her mother, Donna, is Jewish, while her father, George, is of French, Irish and Portuguese heritage. It is believed that Burke is a direct descendent of the French knight William De Burgo, who settled in Ireland during the 12th century.

Although as a student Burke wanted to be a drummer in a rock band, she won her first beauty pageant at age 14. When she accompanied a friend to a Scottsdale, Arizona, modeling agency for moral support, Burke was discovered by a talent agent. By age 18, she was a busy print model, being featured in swimsuit calendars, and on billboards and magazine covers. Taking the advice of friends, Burke moved to Los Angeles to study broadcast journalism at UCLA.

While still studying in Los Angeles, Burke's career picked up when she worked with major modeling agencies such as Ford and Wilhelmina. She appeared in several popular advertisements, swimsuit editorials, posters and commercials.

TV, Modeling and Entrepreneurship

Burke's career turned a major corner in 1997 when she was cast as the host of Wild On, a series on the fledgling E! Entertainment cable network. An adrenaline-packed reality show about partying in exotic locations around the world, Wild On presented Burke to more than 400 million homes in 120 countries during her three-year stint as host, eventually leading her to celebrity status.

She also appeared in films and made guest appearances on several television shows, including That's Life (2000), The Bernie Mac Show (2001), Monk (2002) and Less Than Perfect (2002). Burke continued working extensively as a fitness and bikini model, and appeared on the cover of Playboy in 2001. She also became a favorite of other men's magazine like Maxim, FHM and Stuff.

Burke competed on ABC's hit show Dancing with the Stars (season 7) in 2007, winning the coveted first-place mirror ball trophy with partner Derek Hough. She returned in 2010 to begin co-hosting the show with Tom Bergeron, replacing Samantha Harris.

Proving her skills as an entrepreneur, Burke launched online company BabooshBaby.com, a specialty line of must-have items for expectant mothers, in 2007. She also co-owns the website ModernMom.com, which shares secrets and tips on motherhood and fitness after childbirth.

Burke is also an author. Her first book, The Naked Mom: A Modern Mom's Fearless Revelations, Savvy Advice, and Soulful Reflections, was published in February 2011.