New details have come to light surrounding the passing of Food Network star Anne Burrell last year at age 55.
The celebrity chef was found unresponsive by her husband at their Brooklyn home on June 17.
In a statement, her family described her as a “beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend” whose smile “lit up every room she entered.”
Highlights
- A police report obtained by ‘People’ provides more information about celebrity chef Anne Burrell, who took her own life last June.
- The Food Network star, 55, was found unconscious in the bathroom of her Brooklyn, NY, home.
- Anne was known for ‘Worst Cooks In America,’ ‘Secrets of a Restaurant Chef,’ and ‘Iron Chef,’ among other cooking shows.
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Trigger warning: This article includes mentions of self-harm that may be distressing to some readers.
“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,” her family wrote.
Her passing was initially investigated by the New York Police Department as a possible overd*se, as she was found “surrounded by approximately (100) assorted pills.”
A month later, after conducting an autopsy, the New York City medical examiner’s office determined that Anne had taken her own life.
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The official cause was specified as “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine.”
According to a recent report from People based on an NYPD report, an investigator found a “s*icidal note” in the main bedroom of Anne’s home following the tragedy.
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The investigator also discovered “s*icidal” journal entries on a bed in the same room, as per the police report.
The NYPD report mentioned that in the early morning hours of June 17, 2025, a redacted individual “married to Anne,” an apparent reference to her husband of four years, Stuart Claxton, "noticed that the bed was made in their room which is not normal."
Stuart then found Anne on the bathroom floor “with a bunch of over-the-counter pills."
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The husband immediately called 911 after attempting to wake her by “shaking her and slapping her face," according to the police report. Paramedics pronounced her “deceased on scene.”
Stuart told police that his wife had “never attempted” to take her own life in the past and “never talked about it.” He also said she hadn’t shown “any signs that she would do something like this.”
According to People, a report by the New York City Fire Department showed that a person called 911 at 7:50 a.m, concerned that Anne had suffered a heart attack.
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The Worst Cooks In America host performed at improv comedy club The Second City in Brooklyn the night before her passing. A source who was with her told People that she appeared to be “in great spirits.”
“I can cook, yes, I can do TV, but also, what else? I’ve got more to do in my life, I feel like,” Anne said in a podcast last year, revealing that she was “dipping her toe” in acting.
Food Network star Melba Wilson described Anne as “healthy and vibrant” and said she was “shocked” by her passing.
“To hear yesterday that she’s no longer with us is devastating. It’s shocking. It’s unbelievable to know that someone so full of life is no longer with us.”
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Another friend told Page Six that they felt like the chef “struggled” and “wasn’t totally happy” despite her multiple projects and upbeat personality.
The friend said Anne suffered from loneliness and fears of substance dependency after growing up “in a situation with alc*holism.”
“She had, like the rest of us, demons. She didn’t let me in too much. [As a TV star] you have so many high moments. In private, you’re going to have a let down,” they said.
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Anne, who cited her mother’s home-cooked meals and the icon Julia Child as inspirations for her career, appeared in a number of shows, including Worst Cooks In America, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef, Chef Wanted, Chopped, and House of Knives.
She also published two cookbooks: Cook Like a Rock Star and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire & Empower, which were New York Times bestsellers.
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A Food Network spokesperson remembered Anne as a “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.”
The renowned chef is survived by Stuart and his son, Javier, her mother, Marlene, her sister, Jane, Jane's children Isabella, Amelia, and Nicolas, and her brother, Ben.
The National S*icide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. International helplines can be found at befrienders.org
