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Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Anne Burrell's ill-fated plans for her future revealed after ditching hit show before tragic death
Anne Burrell had career pivot plans after leaving her signature series Worst Cooks In America as the investigation surrounding her shock death has taken another twist. The celebrity chef — who famously hosted Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and co-hosted Worst Cooks in America — had plans to expand her horizons as she had ambitions to try her hand at acting and was even taking improv classes before her tragic passing at 55. She appeared on Tori Spelling's Misspelling podcast back in March and said: 'Interestingly, I just started taking acting classes. I started yesterday, actually... It's like an improv for actors' class. 'I got there and it's like eight people in the class. I'm the oldest one. Every other person has like, "Oh, I have a master's in fine arts in theater."' Burrell showed off her self-awareness and sense of humor that her fans were familiar with as she joked about the age gap between she and her fellow students. She said: 'I'm like, "okay, I've never taken an acting class. I don't know, this is new to me." 'I wonder if these delightful and super talented kids look at me and they're like, "What's this old lady doing here?"' The television personality had taken a break from her show Worst Cooks In America for season 28 which baffled many fans and Spelling, 52, asked at the time what led her to that decision. Burrell answered: 'I can cook, yes, I can do TV, but also, what else? I've got more to do in my life, I feel like.' She also admitted that she was just 'dipping my toe' when it came to the pivot to acting. Burrell explained: 'I feel very excited about it. I've got a few other things that I'm working on as well, which I'm not quite ready to share yet. Hopefully, exciting [are] things coming.' This comes amid news that her shock death investigation has taken another twist as chilling new information emerged about the scene where the chef was found dead on Tuesday. The beloved Food Network star died at age 55 at her Brooklyn, New York apartment. Law enforcement sources told TMZ a large quantity of 'unknown pills' were found around where Burrell died while a separate source claimed to The Pos t the pill quantity was in the 'dozens.' Insiders had previously revealed Burrell was found unresponsive and lying on the shower floor by her husband Stuart Claxton early Tuesday morning. Claxton reportedly last saw his wife alive at approximately 1AM the night prior before discovering her unconscious between six to seven hours later in their bathroom. has contacted representatives for Food Network and Burrell for comment but did not immediately hear back. Claxton contacted 911 and was allegedly advised by the operator to perform CPR on Burrell. However, her body was said to be cold and it is not known if he performed CPR. A possible cause of death has now been indicated by the 911 call, with the New York Fire Department confirming to Daily Mail that they were responding to a report of a cardiac arrest at 7.50am on Tuesday. She was found unresponsive in her Brooklyn, New York, home by police. In a statement to Daily Mail, the New York City Police Department confirmed that they were called to an address in Brooklyn in response to a report about an 'unconscious and unresponsive' 55-year-old female. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death has not yet been reported by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner, with an investigation ongoing. TMZ reports that EMS attempted CPR on Burrell but could not resuscitate her. Meanwhile many of Burrell's fellow Food Network personalities have paid tribute to her. Most recently, Andrew Zimmern gave a touching speech about his friend at the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen on Thursday evening. The 63-year-old The Big Food Truck Tip host got emotional as he said: 'This week we lost Anne. And I know our entire community is beyond saddened.' He called her 'such a beautiful, gifted soul' while adding that she was a 'trailblazer on the Food Network.' Zimmern described his friend as 'a brash, bold, loud New Yorker, and a woman who had a tremendous capacity for love.' He also described her as being 'in the prime of life taken from us too soon' and admitted that dealing with her death has become 'so difficult.' Zimmern went on to plea with those on hand to care for others in the food community. He said: 'This community puts a lot of weight on how much we want to care for each other and we've done such an incredible job of it over the last 10 years. 'I can't think of another community that has done such an incredible job looking out for each other, but I honestly don't think we're doing enough. When we lose someone like Anne, I don't think we're doing enough.' He also urged those in attendance to live it up including joking, eating, drinking, dancing, and even doing karaoke because it is what Burrell would have wanted. 'Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,' her family said in a statement obtained by Tuesday. '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,' they shared. A Food Network spokesperson added, 'Anne was a remarkable person and culinary talent – teaching, competing and always sharing the importance of food in her life and the joy that a delicious meal can bring. 'Our thoughts are with Anne's family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss.' The TV chef - who became synonymous with her trademark spiky platinum hair - is survived by husband Stuart Claxton, whom she wed in October 2021 in an autumn-themed ceremony and reception in her hometown of Cazenovia, New York. She is also survived by her mother Marlene and sister Jane and her children Isabella, Amelia and Nicolas, and her brother Ben. Anne developed a passion for cooking at a young age, inspired by her mother's home-cooked meals and by watching food icon Julia Child on television. After earning a degree in English and Communications from Canisius College in Buffalo in 1991, she followed her culinary dreams and enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, graduating in 1996. She worked at a whole host of New York City hotspots including Felidia and Savoy in Soho, where she honed her craft in Mediterranean cuisine. She was later thrust into the spotlight and became best known as the longtime host of Worst Cooks in America. The show, which ran for 28 seasons, saw celebrated chefs mentor amateur cooks in an attempt to transform them from rookies to kitchen experts. Elsewhere, she appeared on Chef Wanted, Chopped, Food Network Star, and most recently, competition series House of Knives - which premiered in March this year. The famed chef also penned two of her own cookbooks - Cook Like a Rock Star and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire & Empower. Heartbroken fans have flooded to leave comments on her most recent Instagram post that was shared just four days ago. 'This can't be true. Chef Anne you were vivacious, hilarious, full of life and reminded me of my Mom. I'm so, so sorry. Rest with the Angels in Heaven and cook up a storm for us,' one wrote. 'Prayers for your family. This feels so unexpected! 'You were always one of our all time favorite chefs and seemed like a great person! I'm sure you'll be missed by many!' someone else shared. 'RIP ANNE! I can't believe this! We lost a good one!' one wrote. 'I was such a fan of you. I had been watching Worst Cooks for YEARS and just recently started watching newer seasons. 'I am so sad. May you rest in peace,' another penned. Gigi Hadid, who famously appeared on the cooking competition series Beat Bobby Flay with Burrell, led the celebrities expressing their heartbreak over Burrell's death. 'I am heartbroken to hear of the loss of the Great Anne Burrell,' the supermodel, 30, began. Hadid included a photo of herself and Burrell from their time filming Beat Bobby Flay back in 2023. 'As a longtime fan, getting to share this day with her was a dream come true. Beat Bobby. Hang. Eat,' she recalled. 'I wish we could have done it again. She was awesome. Rest in Peace Legend.' Chef Carla Hall, who previously appeared on Food Network's Top Chef, called Burrell an 'incredible cook and teacher.' Queer Eye for the Straight Guy star Carson Kressley, who was a close friend of Burrell's, revealed that he spoke to her just days before her death. He also shared a post to his own Instagram page which included a photo of him and Burrell. 'Rest easy, Chef Anne. I'm so blessed I was able to work with you, learn from you, laugh with you. So many memories - on screen and off - I cherish this photo of us living our best lives, as the kids say,' Kressley wrote. 'It's one of my favorite memories - just swimming in the ocean after a great lunch. Good food, good friends and lots of love and laughter all around. 'That's what I wish for you where you are now . I'll see you again someday, dear friend.' To conclude the tribute, Kressley revealed that 'Anne loved this photo of us so I know she'd be happy I chose this one.'
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
How tragic Anne Burrell ditched 'rock star chef life' to finally find love in her 50s before shock death
Beloved Food Network star Anne Burrell spoke candidly about finally settling down in her 50s—after years of 'living the rock star chef life'—just two months before she was found dead in her Brooklyn apartment. The Secrets of a Restaurant Chef host and longtime Worst Cooks in America co-host was discovered 'unconscious and unresponsive' around 7:50 a.m. Tuesday. The New York Fire Department confirmed to DailyMail they responded to a report of cardiac arrest, though her official cause of death is still under investigation by the Office of Chief Medical Examiner. In a bittersweet twist, Burrell had recently appeared on Tori Spelling 's misSPELLING podcast, where she reflected on meeting her husband Stuart Claxton later in life—after living what she called 'the rock star chef life.' She said she met Claxton on Bumble after finally giving dating apps a shot in her late 40s. 'From when I was a kid, I don't know why, but I always was like, I am not getting married until I feel like I have something in life to share — until I have accomplished stuff,' she shared. In a bittersweet twist, Burrell had recently appeared on Tori Spelling 's misSPELLING podcast, where she reflected on meeting her husband Stuart Claxton later in life—after living what she called 'the rock star chef life' In her 20s and 30s, Burrell sai dshe embraced the whirlwind of her culinary rise. 'I was living my best life! I was like, living the rock star chef life. I was working a lot, and I had a great social life,' she said. But over time, her priorities began to shift. 'I just started to feel like, all right, you're getting a little old to keep on doing this,' she added, reflecting on what led her to seek something more grounded. That turning point eventually led her to Claxton, whom she married on Oct. 16, 2021. With the marriage, she also stepped into a new role—becoming a stepmother to Claxton's 22-year-old son, Javier. 'Kids were never on my radar, really,' the chef admitted. 'I love being an aunt. I have nieces and nephews. So I'm like, [being a stepmom] is the perfect amount of parenting for me.' The resrufaced interview comes after Burrell's friend and chef Elizabeth Falkner claimed that Burrell was in 'pretty decent shape' when she last saw her on June 9 at dinner in New York City. In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail, Falkner, 59, revealed, 'I think Anne looks like she's in pretty decent shape these days, so it's kind of surprising to me.' Not being able to comment specifically on any health issues, if any, she might've battled before her death, she did find her passing 'so sudden and shocking.' 'I know it is very personal to me what happened, and I can't believe somebody even younger than me has just passed away. It's close to home for all of us,' she said. 'The culinary family is like family, so this hurts a lot of us. We just all feel it.' The shock comes from seeing her a few days ago at an intimate dinner she hosted - which she of course was the chef for the 'fun night' - at Soho House on June 9. 'I've seen [her] over all these years, not just on television competitions and shows, but at different parties and events and stuff, and we've always been friendly. 'But just in the last month we've been texting. I said, "Come to my dinner at Soho House, it'll be great to see you." And she brought her husband and we just had such a good time,' she shared about how the famous chefs reconnected. 'It was just so sweet. So this is just really so sudden and shocking.' Burrell even texted her the following day on June 10 to let her know that she and her husband, Stuart Claxton, had a great time. 'She's like, "Thanks so much for inviting us. It was a truly lovely time and very delicious. Please send me some pics so I can post." Falkner paid tribute to Anne on her Instagram after hearing about the shocking news 'And I said, "It was so great to see you, Anne."' The pals even made a pact to 'talk more often.' 'We were like, "Let's just make a point of talking and texting more often,"' Falkner shared, while noting that she is 'very grateful' to have had a special night with the beloved chef and other guests last week. 'I'm just bummed. I feel like [our friendship] just got cut really short fast,' she added. The Worst Cooks in America alum spoke highly about being a mother. 'When she came to the dinner at Soho House, she said that she was very much enjoying being a stepmother,' Falkner said, referring to the star's stepson Javier, 20. 'And her husband's so sweet. She just seemed to be in such a good place. That's the best way for me to describe it. Because being a chef and being a television personality is two major full-time jobs, but enjoying your life outside of that can be challenging. And I think she was definitely enjoying her life outside of that whole world of the networks and all that stuff.' Burrell spoke exclusively with Daily Mail back in April about marital bliss. Her and Stuart got married in 2021 after meeting on a dating app in 2018. 'October will be four years,' she said at the City Harvest gala. 'It seems like it's been four minutes. I don't know if it's a honeymoon [phase], but I feel like it's settled into married life days which I really enjoy.' Falkner told Daily Mail, 'I'm just bummed. I feel like [our friendship] just got cut really short fast' (pictured is an exclusive photo of Falkner with her pal at Burrell's former Brooklyn restaurant, Phil And Anne's Good Time Lounge, shared with Daily Mail) Falkner, who appeared on cooking shows like Iron Chef and Top Chef, recalled meeting Burrell's husband before they got married in 2021. 'I randomly saw her in Rome outside of a restaurant, and I was like, "Oh my God, that's Anne Burrell walking by!" And we said hey and stuff,' Falkner revealed, noting that she and Stuart were on a 'pre-wedding trip.' Describing her passing 'really unfortunate,' 'so sad,' 'unexpected' and even 'tragic,' Falkner believes Burrell's death is a huge loss to the restaurant community since everyone involved is 'another kind of family.' Falkner, herself, said that being a chef is a 'highly stressful job,' but it was something that Burrell mastered throughout her career. 'The thing about Anne Burrell is she wasn't only a TV chef, she was a really good, really good cook, really good chef. She educated a lot of people,' the James Beard Foundation's board of trustees member told Daily Mail. 'I don't even know how she had the patience to do Worst Cooks in America, because I think that would be a challenging show to do patience wise. But she was the real deal. She could cook a lot. She had mad skills. It was always fun watching her cook. I told her I loved watching her on House of Knives.' She added, 'She's one of those people that's kind of intimidating and certainly hardcore as chefs can be. I mean, you kind of have to be that way. It's the only way to teach people how to deal with ingredients and not to mess it up all the time. But she was definitely very sweet... She had a certain kind of sparkle.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Tori Spelling sued by bank over alleged unpaid loan
The 90210 star and her estranged husband, Dean McDermott, were named in a new lawsuit that claims they never paid a loan given to them in 2012. The legal filing stated Tori, 52, and Dean, 58, took out a loan for $400,000 (£298,000), but by 2016 had stopped making repayments, with the bank submitting paperwork to the courts at that time declaring they owed more than $188,000 (£140,000). In 2017, a judge ordered Tori and Dean to repay $220,088.37 (£163,740) to the bank. However, after they again failed to make the required repayments, a further judgment was issued in 2019…
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tori Spelling and Ex Dean McDermott's $400k Debt Swells With Interest as Exes Ignore Bill for a Decade
Tori Spelling and her estranged husband, Dean McDermott, have refused to settle a massive debt over an unpaid loan, and the bill has grown with $175,000 in interest alone, Us Weekly can exclusively report. On Wednesday, June 11, City National Bank filed court documents as part of the never-ending battle, which revealed the exes have not paid a dime on the six-figure judgment they were ordered to pay on May 22, 2017. The former couple failed to respond to a lawsuit City National filed in December 2016, which led to a default judgment being entered in the amount of $220,088.37. In the new filing, City National Bank asked that the judgment be renewed to allow the bank to continue attempting to collect. The filing revealed Spelling and McDermott's debt has grown with interest to $395,729.82. In the original lawsuit, City National alleged that Spelling, 52, and McDermott, 58, defaulted on a $400,000 loan they took out in 2012. Tori Spelling Files for Divorce From Dean McDermott After Nearly 18 Years of Marriage: Report '[Spelling and McDermott] have failed to satisfy their obligations to [City National] under the terms of the promissory note,' the lawsuit read. At the time the lawsuit was filed, the bank claimed it was owed $190,000. Lawyers for City National asked the court to enter a default judgment in the amount that was owed on the loan. The legal battle has dragged on for years as Spelling and McDermott have avoided paying a dime on the bill. Spelling and McDermott have not made an appearance in the case. Dean McDermott Wants Joint Custody and Spousal Support in Response to Tori Spelling's Divorce Filing As Us previously reported, Spelling and McDermott split in 2023 after 17 years together and five children together: Liam, 18, Stella, 17, Hattie, 13, Finn, 12, and Beau, 8. Spelling filed for divorce in March 2024. In her petition, the actress listed the date of separation as June 17, 2023. The Beverly Hills, 90210 star asked the court to award her spousal support and legal fees. She requested sole custody of their children and proposed joint legal custody. In response, McDermott disputed the date of separation listed by Spelling. He said they split on July 7, 2023, weeks after she claimed the breakup went down. McDermott also asked the court to award him spousal support. He was also not on board with Spelling's request for primary physical custody. McDermott pleaded for joint custody of their kids. The exes have yet to finalize a settlement in the case. How Tori Spelling Feels About Photos of Dean McDermott With Another Woman (Source) As Us previously reported, Spelling has moved on to a new man, CEO . Back in April, a source told Us that the duo were taking it slow but had been seeing each other for 'a few months.' Spelling and Cramer first dated in 2023. The relationship fizzled out, but they have since reconnected. A source told Us that McDermott — who went public with his girlfriend Lily Calo in May 2024 — was 'fine' with Spelling dating again. 'Dean and Tori have completely moved on,' a source exclusively told Us. 'Dean is fine with Tori dating again and they are on OK terms right now.'' The insider added, 'They have moved past the drama … and both want each other to be happy and in good relationships for the sake of the kids.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tori Spelling sued by bank over alleged unpaid loan
Tori Spelling has been sued by her former bank over an allegedly unpaid loan. The 90210 alumnus and her estranged husband, Dean McDermott, were named in a new lawsuit that claims they never paid a loan given to them in 2012. The legal filing stated Tori, 52, and Dean, 58, took out a loan for $400,000 (£298,000), but by 2016 had stopped making repayments, with the bank submitting paperwork to the courts at that time declaring they owed more than $188,000 (£140,000). In 2017, a judge ordered Tori and Dean to repay $220,088.37 (£163,740) to the bank. However, after they again failed to make the required repayments, a further judgment was issued in 2019 that awarded the bank more than $400,000 - accrued interest had blown the debt back up to the cost of the original loan. The estranged spouses, who formally split in 2023, share children Liam Aaron, 18, Stella Doreen, 17, Hattie Margaret, 13, Finn Davey, 12, and Beau Dean, eight. Dean also shares son Jack, 26, with his ex-wife Mary Jo Eustace, 63. Tori has made no secret over the years of her financial struggles and last year joked she may launch an OnlyFans account to cover her children's upcoming university expenses. "I'm gonna have to go on OnlyFans in order to get them into college," Tori told William Shatner when she interviewed him on her Misspelling podcast. "OnlyFans is a site I guess, originally, it was more women in the field - not sex workers - but along those lines, but now actresses do it."
