Celebrity chef Anne Burrell dies at age 55
Ann Burrell, a celebrity chef and popular Food Network personality, has died at the age of 55 at her home in New York, the network said.
Unbranded – Entertainment
Nearly a year after Ann Burrell was found dead in her home in Brooklyn, New York, new details about the chef’s death have been released, according to reports.
The 55-year-old chef, who was popular for his numerous appearances on the Food Network, died on June 17. The following month, the New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death a suicide.
The coroner determined that Burrell’s cause of death was acute intoxication caused by the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine.
According to a new NYPD report obtained by People, authorities have confirmed that a “suicide note” was left in the “master bedroom” of Burrell’s home and was later discovered by investigators.
Details of the memo’s contents were not shared in the report, according to the outlet’s Feb. 18 article. Police said that apart from the note, investigators also found diary entries “regarding suicide” on the bed in the same room.
USA TODAY has reached out to the New York City Police Department and Burrell’s representatives for comment.
Burrell, a well-known figure on the Cooking Channel thanks to his spiky platinum blonde hairstyle and sharp wit, made his debut on the Food Network in 2005 on the cutthroat competition series Iron Chef America, where he served as sous chef to Iron Chef Mario Batali. She was also the host of the shows “Secrets of a Restaurant Chef” and “Worst Cooks in America.”
Anne Burrell’s husband says she has no history of suicide attempts
Insights into the shocking death of the chef, Burrell’s husband, Stuart Claxton, have also been revealed with the release of the NYPD report.
According to People magazine, the New York City Police Department said that a person “who is married to Anne” found Burrell with “a bundle of over-the-counter drugs” on the bathroom floor. Claxton tried to wake the chef by “shaking her and slapping her in the face,” but when she didn’t respond, he called 911.
In a subsequent interview with police, Claxton told authorities that Burrell had “never attempted suicide in the past” and “didn’t show any signs of doing anything like that.”
If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org..
Contributor: Jay Stahl, USA TODAY
