Nationality Irish Education University of Cambridge | Name Lisa Burke | |
Born 4 February 1977 (age 47) ( 1977-02-04 ) Killeshin, County Laois, Ireland Occupation Television Presenter, Author, Singer Books Water Fun, I'm a Scientist: Backyard, In the Kitchen: Fun Expe, My Body, In the Garden Similar People Jo Wheeler, Isobel Lang, Lucy Verasamy | ||
Lisa Burke 01.03.10
Lisa Burke (born 4 February 1977) is an Irish weather forecaster.
Contents
Background
Lisa lived in Killeshin, near the town of Carlow, in County Laois, Ireland and attended primary school there before moving to London with her family. Her father is Tony Burke, a former goalkeeper for Laois.
Lisa studied Natural Sciences at Cambridge University, specialising in chemistry, graduated with a first class degree and was ranked second in the university. She gave up the opportunity to do a Ph.D. with Professor Darren Dixon to work at Sky News.
Lisa has spent the bulk of her career in science communication through television work and writing. She is also a passionate singer.
Sky News
Lisa joined Sky News in October 2000 and within one month was on air presenting the weather. She has worked for Sky News, Sky Sports News, Soccer Am, FIVE News, Sky News Ireland, Sky Promos, Sky Movies and Sky Learning.
Lisa also anchored Technofile and SkyNews.com.
Lisa was the first Science Correspondent for Sky News and covered the role of Environment Correspondent.
Lisa researched and presented a documentary for Sky One called Inside A Lightning Bolt.
When training for the London Marathon in 2005, Lisa compiled reports on training with Ricky Hatton, James Cracknell and Josh Lewsey for Sky Sports News.
She left Sky News in 2010 and moved to Abu Dhabi with her family.
Other Television Work
Lisa presented travel reports from Australia for No Frontiers, RTE. She went diving with whale sharks along the Nigaloo Reef in Western Australia (whilst pregnant) and reported from Flinders Ranges in South Australia.
Lisa appeared on the RTE show The Restaurant in 2008.
She was also part of a documentary with Peter Kelly called Brides of Franc.
Lisa has also reported for Scope, RTE.
Whilst singing with the BBC Symphony Chorus Lisa has been part of many recordings for the Proms on BBC Radio 3, BBC 1, BBC 2 and BBC 4. The BBC Symphony Chorus have also been recorded for film and CD.
Lisa appeared on Ready Steady Cook.
She was interviewed on The Big Breakfast after being voted 'Sexiest Weather Girl of all time'.
Personal life
In October 2004 Burke married Adrian Wells in Holy Cross Abbey, in Holycross near Thurles, County Tipperary. Jeremy Vine was the Best Man. Lisa has two daughters.
Music
Lisa currently sings with Riverside Opera and is training with Sandra Ford.
Whilst living in Abu Dhabi, Lisa sang with Cantus Abu Dhabi and Blue Fever, an award winning jazz a cappella group. She took an LTCL in Voice Performance (with distinction) in Abu Dhabi.
Lisa sang with the BBC Symphony Chorus for many years, and performed with them many times at the Proms, Royal Albert Hall and at the The Barbican.
Lisa plays piano, violin, tin whistle and piano accordion.
She sang with Cambridge University Choir while she was studying at the University.
Lisa's father was Pipe Major of the Killeshin Pipe Band.
Science Writing and Other
Lisa created the idea of Mini Scientists and has written and published four books with Dorling Kindersley.
Lisa has been a science consultant on many books for Dorling Kindersley.
In 2012, she was a consultant on a book which won the Royal Society's Science Prize for best young person's book.
Lisa has given talks at the Cheltenham Science Festival.
Lisa was briefly a research scientist with GlaxoSmithKline.
Whilst resident in Abu Dhabi, Lisa wrote freelance articles for The National newspaper's magazine.