Guy Francis de Moncy Burgess crossed paths with MacLean at Cambridge, as both espoused anticapitalist and pro-Marxist views. Unlike MacLean, however, Burgess had a more interesting route to the intelligence world, first working as a TV producer at the BBC before joining MI6 and, eventually, the British Foreign Office. He was recruited by Kim Philby and publicly renounced his communist views while actually beginning to work directly for the Soviets.
Despite his more volatile personality, Burgess was entrusted with important documents and information. He used his BBC position during the war to help produce pro-Soviet messageing, and once in the diplomatic service, he eventually followed Philby and MacLean to Washington, where he was privy to American war plans for Korea and committed several acts of misconduct. When an American investigation appeared to be coming close to unmasking MacLean, Burgess and MacLean both returned to London. Burgess fled with MacLean during his 1951 defection but struggled with personal and health afflictions. He died in 1963.