New details have come to light regarding the sudden passing of Food Network star Anne Burrell.
Anne tragically died at the age of 55, found unresponsive in the shower of her Brooklyn home on the morning of June 17, after a night at an improv show.
Her family, who confirmed her passing, released a heartfelt statement: “Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered.
"Anne’s light radiated far beyond those she knew, touching millions across the world. Though she is no longer with us, her warmth, spirit, and boundless love remain eternal.”
Just hours before her death, Anne had been at The Second City New York in Brooklyn for the final show of her improv course.
A source who attended the show shared with PEOPLE that she “was in great spirits last night during and after the improv show. Typical fun, outgoing Anne, having a blast.”
Anne was discovered in her shower - “unconscious and unresponsive”, as police reported - and pronounced dead at the scene.
Her husband, Stuart Claxton, reportedly last saw her alive around 1:00AM, and discovered her cold, unconscious body at approximately 7:50AM, according to TMZ.
He immediately called 911 and was advised to perform CPR, though a New York City Fire Department source told Page Six the caller suspected she had suffered “cardiac arrest” and was “DOA [dead on arrival]”.
The NYPD confirmed EMS pronounced her deceased on the scene, and an official cause of death remains under investigation pending autopsy by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
Born in Cazenovia, New York in 1969, Anne studied English and Communications at Canisius College before graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in 1996.
Her career began with training in Italy and positions at Felidia under Lidia Bastianich and the Savoy in Soho.
By the early 2000s, she was teaching at the Institute of Culinary Education before launching her television career on Iron Chef America.
Her 2008 Emmy-nominated series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef ran for nine seasons, and she became a fixture on shows like Chopped, Chef Wanted, Food Network Star, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate.
But it was Worst Cooks in America, which she began hosting in 2010, that made her a fan favorite, helping clueless home cooks over 28 seasons with her signature sass, laughter, and skill.
She also wrote two popular cookbooks: Cook Like a Rock Star (a New York Times bestseller) and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire and Empower. In March 2025, she appeared on the competition series House of Knives.
In addition to Stuart and his son Javier, Anne is survived by her mother Marlene, sister Jane, brother Ben, and nieces and nephews Isabella, Amelia, and Nicolas.