As a young girl in her native Dallas, Texas, Brooke Burns ("Baywatch") was groomed to be in the spotlight and was a successful ballerina for 12 years -- until an unfortunate ski injury halted her dancing career. In reality, those years of discipline and training might have been good preparation for her recent stint on NBC's "Fear Factor."
"I was part of the first celebrity 'Fear Factor' and I saw some of what there would be if a show such as 'Dog Eat Dog' became 'Fear Factor' meets 'Weakest Link,'" says Burns as host of NBC's newest challenge reality show.
Describing her new role as host, Burns adds, "I love the opportunity to be myself as opposed to playing a character. I'm excited about the improvisational side of the job, and I think the key to being a good host is listening and being who I am."
Burns' mother wasted no time after her daughter's ballet career ended, and quickly enrolled her at a modeling agency. By the age of 16, Burns was traveling and working throughout Europe. A year later, she returned to the United States and continued modeling in New York. After some work in commercials, she was cast as a regular in the series "Out of the Blue," which taped in and around Sea World in Orlando, Florida.
After relocating to Los Angeles to pursue a television acting career full time, Burns' first audition was for the popular beachside syndication series "Baywatch." Although not hired initially for that drama, she made numerous television guest-starring roles on other series, including Timothy Hutton's "Nero Wolfe" and the recurring role of Jennifer, the fantasy girl on "Ally McBeal." Eventually, the "Baywatch" producers cast her as Jessica "Jessie" Owens," a role which she reprised on the series' spinoff "Baywatch Hawaii." Burns made her comedic and feature-film debut in last year's "Shallow Hal" (alongside Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack Black) as a young, tragically ugly girl whose inner beauty proves to be much stronger than her disagreeable outer appearance.
Currently, Burns resides in the Los Angeles suburbs and still enjoys dancing on a regular basis. Burns is an avid swimmer, loves the outdoors and writing (songs, poetry). She is also active in the Camp Baywatch and Planet Hope charities.
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