Following an early career in acting, Burns moved to directing and producing, co-writing and performing in
H. E. Bates's
Dulcima at the
Edinburgh Festival Fringe. She was appointed
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the
2013 New Year Honours and Commander of the
Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the
2024 Birthday Honours, both for services to theatre. At the 2013 Private Business Awards, Burns was awarded Private Businesswoman of the Year.
The Apollo was the centre of a news story on 19 December 2013, when portions of the ceiling collapsed, landing on the audience. ==Personal life==