Yesterday, we reported that the Food Network star Anne Burrell died suddenly on Tuesday morning at the age of 55. Her body was found on the shower floor in the bathroom of her New York City home, with police being called at around 7:50am. Burrell was declared dead at the scene.
Now, disturbing details have emerged about Burrell’s final hours. Indeed, they have only led to more questions about how this vibrant Food Network star could have passed away so suddenly.
Burrell’s Final Hours
On Monday night, hours before her death, Burrell performed an improv show at The Second City New York in Brooklyn. According to her Instagram page, this show was the grand finale of a course of improv classes that the chef had been taking.
“Everyone said she was so great last night and so happy,” a source told People Magazine.
Another source who attended the improv show with Burrell added that the Food Network star “was in great spirits last night during and after the improv show. Typical fun, outgoing Anne, having a blast.”
This insider went on to say that everyone is “shocked and confused” because Burrell seemed completely fine when they left the improv show.
Related: Food Network Star Anne Burrell Found Dead At 55 – Sad Details Emerge
Burrell Was Loving Doing Improv
One week before her death, in a June 9 post, Burrell wrote that she was “having an ABSOLUTE blast” taking improv classes. In the days before her death, she promoted her final show on Instagram, sharing photos of herself with her classmates.
Burrell had first revealed that she was taking a course called “Improv for Actors” on March 19.
“Can I just say it is SO much fun and I am learning so SO much!!! It really helps me get out of my shell… as if I needed that!! #ilovewhatido #luckygirl,” she wrote on Instagram at the time.
One month later, Burrell gleefully announced that term 2 for the program had begun.
“I’m THRILLED to be back!!” she wrote in the April 28 post.
Second City New York paid tribute to Burrell on Instagram hours after her death.
“We’re are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend and student, Anne Burrell,” Second City New York said in a statement. “She will be missed and remembered as a vibrant part of our Second City New York Training Center community.”
“Anne brought joy, boldness, and an unwavering ‘yes, and’ spirit,” the statement continued. “Her enthusiasm was contagious, her presence unforgettable. Our thoughts go out to Anne’s family and loved ones.”
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Burrell Found Dead
Burrell was found “unconscious and unresponsive” on the shower floor of her bathroom in her Brooklyn, New York home on the morning of Tuesday, June 17. Sources told Page Six that she was found by her husband Stuart Claxton, who she’d been married to since 2021. He had last seen her alive at around 1am. After calling 911, Claxton was advised to perform CPR on Burrell. However, her body was already cold by then.
The New York City Police Department confirmed that at around 7:50am, EMS “responded and pronounced her deceased on scene.”
At the time of this writing, no official cause of death has been revealed. The fact that Burrell appeared so happy and healthy at her improv show hours before her death has only raised more questions as to how she could have passed away.
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” Burrell’s family said in a statement. “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.”
Burrell got her start as a teacher at the Institute of Culinary Education in the early 2000s. She would go on to become a Food Network star on shows like Iron Chef America, Chef Wanted, Chopped and Worst Cooks in America. Most recently, Burrell was featured on the competition series House of Knives in March of 2025.
Burrell is survived by Claxton and his son Javier from a previous marriage. She is also survived by her mother, two siblings, two nieces, and a nephew. Please join us in saying a prayer for Burrell’s family and friends during this incredibly tragic time.
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