Chef Bobby Flay is remembering the late Anne Burrell.
Flay, 60, took to his Instagram Stories on Wednesday, June 18, and shared a picture of the Worst Cooks in America cohost smiling as she held two fluffy cats.
“Worst Cooks in America was the funnest show on TV,” wrote Flay, who appeared as a judge and mentor on the Food Network series. “All of your co-hosts (me included) were just along for the Anne Burrell ride.”
He added: “The greatest gift I got from AB was turning me on to a world of Maine Coon Cats (including Nacho) … a gift I’ll have forever. #unforgettable.”
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News broke on Tuesday, June 17, that Burrell had died at the age of 55. Her husband, Stuart Claxton, reportedly discovered his wife lying unresponsive on the floor of the bathroom shower in their Brooklyn, New York, home that morning.
TMZ reported on Wednesday that Burrell was “unconscious” when Claxton saw her in the shower. He called 911 to get help. Police confirmed to Us Weekly that they were alerted to the scene at “approximately 7:50 a.m.”
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” Burrell’s family told Us in a statement at the time. “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.”
In a statement Wednesday, a rep for the New York City Fire Department said a 911 caller had claimed that Burrell went into “cardiac arrest” and was “DOA [dead upon arrival].”
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The NYPD has announced that an investigation is underway, with the cause of death pending.
Burrell married Claxton in October 2021. Besides her husband, she is survived by his son, Javier, as well as her mother, Marlene, and sister, Jane.
Since her passing, she has received an outpouring of tributes from her fans and fellow TV chefs.
“I can’t quite believe it — such a strong, vibrant, fearless woman, so full of life and love, could be gone so soon,” Rachael Ray, a bridesmaid at Burrell’s wedding, said in a statement Wednesday. “Anne was a rockstar! I came to know her well through multiple seasons of Worst Cooks on Food Network, and she became so much more than a colleague.”
She added: “I’ll miss her friendship deeply. Everyone whose life she touched will miss her. Sending love to Stuart and everyone who knew and loved Anne. We’ve lost someone truly special.”
