Latest news with #WorstCooksInAmerica
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Toddler, 3, is sick on her dress before reality TV winner beats her to death
Evil Ariel Robinson snapped over three-year-old Victoria's eating habits and acted out in a way that horrified and devastated the entire family forever more Being terrible in the kitchen made Ariel Robinson a reality TV star. She found fame in 2020 by appearing in season 20 of Worst Cooks In America on the Food Network channel - a show that follows people with poor cooking skills as they compete in a series of bootcamp-style challenges overseen by celebrity chefs. Robinson, from Greenville, South Carolina, was a middle school teacher with a sense of humour that led her to try her hand at stand-up comedy. And she was crowned the champion on Worst Cooks In America after showing the most improvement - walking away with a $25,000 prize. Viewers discovered she was married to her childhood sweetheart, Jerry 'Austin' Robinson, and they shared two sons. She revealed the money would go towards her family - and the three white children she was adopting with her Black husband. Robinson and Jerry fostered three-yearold Victoria 'Tori' Rose Smith and her two brothers, aged five and seven, and in January 2021 they were days away from officially adopting Victoria. They were a real poster couple for giving children a much-needed home, and becoming a reality TV winner gave Robinson a voice that she used on social media. On 6 January, she tweeted that while her Black and white children were treated equally in their home, that might not be the case in the outside world. "It's a shame that as a proud mom to 4 beautiful boys, I can't protect them from the reality and evil of this world once they leave the house. However, I will fight and use my voice to make a difference," she wrote. "I'm a Mama Bear & I'll do anything to protect my children & make sure their futures are equally bright." On the evening of 13 January, Robinson took Victoria to church. When she arrived, Victoria threw up down her dress and Robinson was seen in the bathroom, washing it out in the sink. A member of the congregation asked if Victoria was unwell and Robinson told her that she had a habit of eating too much and making herself throw up. "It's a game," she said, as the little girl had to leave the building without a dress on. Bruises all over her body The next day, Jerry called 911 from their home and said there was an emergency with Victoria. "Our daughter is unresponsive," he said. "She drank a lot of water. We tried to do CPR to get it out." When the paramedics arrived, they found Victoria unconscious on her bedroom floor. Robinson said she had downed a huge amount of liquid and she thought she may have choked. The emergency responders spotted bruises all over Victoria's body and Robinson suggested they had been caused by their CPR efforts. She then blamed them on one of Victoria's brothers - a seven-year-old who she claimed had "anger issues". Victoria was rushed to hospital but her injuries were so severe she could not be saved. Shockingly, an autopsy revealed that she had died from blunt force trauma and internal bleeding. Victoria had been beaten so severely that her blood vessels had burst. The blood had collected in her muscles and body fat, restricting the blood flow to the heart, which had most likely stopped it being able to pump and led to her death. The police questioned Robinson and Jerry. Robinson tried to blame Victoria's brother, but it was clear he wasn't physically capable of doing such damage. However, she and Jerry were. Jerry then told investigators his wife had beaten Victoria. He said it had started when Victoria vomited in church, which had made his wife angry. She had made Victoria leave the building in just her underwear because her dress had been wet. It seemed cruel to not even wrap her in a coat or find something to keep her warm. Robinson was heard telling Victoria, "Oh, you're cold. You're cold. Girls that make themselves throw up deserve to be cold." On 19 January, Robinson and Jerry were arrested. Robinson's TV fame meant the case made the headlines - and the Food Network removed the Worst Cooks In America series featuring her from circulation. In April this year, Jerry, 35, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting homicide by child abuse and agreed to testify against his wife. At Robinson's four-day trial this year, Victoria's graphic injuries were shown in court. Her biological family wore blue ribbons as a symbol of child abuse prevention and were visibly upset by the harrowing evidence. Jerry told the jury that Robinson would often lose her temper and it wasn't unusual for her to be violent against Victoria. He testified that Robinson would get especially angered by Victoria's eating habits and beat her with a wooden paddle and belts. 'Whooping' lasted an hour Jerry said the morning after the church incident, Robinson didn't think Victoria was eating her pancakes fast enough and her frustrations grew. Jerry said it wasn't the first time she had been furious about Victoria eating slowly. "Sometimes I'd eat a piece of her food to help her out," he admitted. Jerry said he had gone to do some work in the yard and his wife had given Victoria a "whooping" that he could hear from outside the house. It had lasted about an hour. He described walking in to find his wife beating Victoria with a belt. "I told her, 'You went too far this time and I should have stopped it,'" he said to the court. Robinson took the stand in her defence and tearfully described Victoria as a "perfect child" who didn't have any behavioural issues and was very easy to get along with. "She was my mini-me," she said on the stand. "She used to talk like me, act like me. She wanted to be everywhere I went." When asked about the incident in church, she testified that they had been running 15 minutes late on the 25-minute drive. Robinson said she had seen Victoria eating chips and swigging water and she had thrown up when she got to the church, and admitted she had been "frustrated". She also testified that they had set up cameras in their home because Victoria's biological brother had "anger issues and would hit her". However, the cameras only live-streamed so they didn't record the goings-on in the house. Then, Robinson pointed the finger at her husband and said he had one of the "scariest types of anger issues", adding, "He holds everything in, and he doesn't let it out and when it does come it, it's too much because he bottles it up." In closing arguments, the defence said Robinson's husband had "cut a deal" for less time in prison and his testimony was not credible and could not be trusted. The prosecution said Robinson had "lost it" and was guilty. "The evidence is clear and if you believe her, she failed to act," they said. In May this year, Robinson, 30, was found guilty of homicide by child abuse and the judge admitted the case had been shocking. "In my 13 to 14 years as a judge, I've never seen anything like this. Not even approaching it," she admitted, sentencing Robinson to life in jail. In June, Jerry was sentenced. He said he thinks about Victoria every day and wishes he'd done things differently. "I am truly sorry for all of this," he told her family. "I hope that one day you all can forgive me." The judge told him he'd failed Victoria and his own children, saying, "You didn't go to stop it, you said, 'She's gone too far this time' - that means there have been other times." Jerry got 20 years in prison. Victoria's biological family criticised social workers for not noticing the abuse. They claim they saw pictures of Victoria on social media and noticed bruising but nothing was done when they reported it. The family is campaigning for reform and better screening for foster families.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"This Is Such An Odd Caption": Fans Were Seriously Upset With This Food Network Post Following Anne Burrell's Death
Fans are expressing outrage after the Food Network posted a photo of chef Anne Burrell to promote her show, just weeks after she died by suicide. The Food Network shared a picture of Burrell alongside her co-host, chef Gabe Bertaccini, earlier this week to promote a new episode of the long-running show, Worst Cooks in America. 'It's showtime! 🌟' the Instagram post said with a photo of Burrell and Bertaccini both smiling, alongside a carousel of pictures from the episode. 'The recruits step up to the spotlight in the first-ever Boot Camp Culinary Pageant! Competing head-to-head, they show off their kitchen skills in hopes of being crowned Mister or Miss Boot Camp 👑 ' the post continued. 'Watch a new episode of #WorstCooks TONIGHT at 9|8c!' The chipper tone struck followers as 'odd,' as well as the failure to mention Burrell's death. 'If you are going to run the show, every caption should have a respectful note about the loss of Anne,' one follower wrote, while another added, 'I get that it's awkward but seriously, big miss step @foodnetwork by not mentioning @chefanneburrell she deserves it.' Another commenter wrote, 'This is such an odd caption, in my opinion. At least acknowledge Anne and her legacy in the caption- this is not an 'everyday' type of season premiere and Food Network knows that.' The Food Network's social media team was similarly criticized for its initial post when the latest season of the show premiered back in July. This post, which says it was edited, includes a note about Burrell and her death in the caption. 'This season of Worst Cooks in America was filmed with Anne Burrell before her untimely passing,' the post says. 'We hope fans will enjoy the digital content we shot with her on set and see her doing what she loved – teaching and sharing the importance of food.' The Food Network did release a statement following Burrell's death, and has a tribute post to the late chef pinned to the top of its Instagram page. 'We are deeply saddened to share the news that beloved chef, Anne Burrell, passed away this morning,' the network shared in June. '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,' the statement added. 'Our thoughts are with Anne's family, friends and fans during this time of tremendous loss.' Burrell was found dead at her home in New York City on June 17. The New York City medical examiner's office confirmed to HuffPost in July that the death was ruled a suicide, as Burrell died from 'acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine.' She is survived by her husband, Stuart Claxton. HuffPost reached out to reps at Food Network for further comments. If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide article originally appeared on HuffPost.
New York Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Anne Burrell's friends ‘can't believe' she meant to end her life: ‘She was always smiling'
Close friends of late chef and Food Network star Anne Burrell are in shock and disbelief that the charismatic gourmand ended her life. The 'Worst Cooks In America' star's death was ruled a suicide due to acute intoxication from a combination of drugs according to the New York City medical examiner's office. Sources close to the 55-year-old chef and cookbook author, survived by husband Stuart Claxton, say she was in great spirits just hours earlier. Advertisement 6 Sources close to the 55-year-old chef and cookbook author Anne Burrell, whose death was declared a suicide by the New York City medical examiner's office, told The Post she was 'having the time of her life' just hours earlier. Brian Zak/Page Six 'She looked like she was having the time of her life at Improv,' a source close to Burrell told The Post, trying to make sense of her sudden passing. 'Who knows what happened after that. It's all sort of puzzling. She lived life. She was not a downer – she lived. For her, everyday was a party in Anne's world. She lived every day. Everyone was shocked. There was no one that was like, 'the last time I saw Anne she was in the gutter.' Advertisement And friends acknowledge the spiky haired chef partied hard, but feel she may have made a spur-of the moment decision while inebriated which she'd never make otherwise, leading to tragedy. 'For it to be the night of the performance [doesn't make sense]. She nailed it. She was on Cloud 9. She couldn't wait for it. It was such a moment,' the source added. Burrell was found unresponsive in her Brooklyn home on June, 17, with diphenhydramine (commonly sold as Benadryl) ethanol (alcohol), cetirizine (allergy medicine) and amphetamine in her system. It is not clear if Burrell had a prescription for an amphetamine-based medication, or she had taken a street drug containing the stimulant. Advertisement 6 'Who knows what happened after that. It's all sort of puzzling. She lived life. She was not a downer – she lived. For her, everyday was a party in Anne's world. She lived every day. Everyone was shocked,' a source close to Burrell told The Post of Burrell's network finding out her death was a suicide. Getty Images for City Harvest She was 'discovered in the shower unconscious and unresponsive surrounded by approximately (100) assorted pills,' according to a police report cited by the New York Times. Weeks before her death, Burrell appeared to be relishing the excitement of her new project, sharing a selfie with a group of her improvised comedy friends and another selfie inside an improv studio in Brooklyn, teasing her June 16 show. 'Soooooo… as I have mentioned I have been taking Improv classes @thesecondcitytc and having an ABSOLUTE blast!!!' she wrote. Advertisement 'She was having so much fun with this group of new friends. Anne just loved making friends. She put herself out there. Everywhere she goes, she'd make friends. She loved the party, she loved being around people, she loved entertaining,' the first source said. Phil Casaceli, Burrell's former business partner at Phil and Anne's Good Time Lounge, the restaurant the pair ran together from May, 2017 to April, 2018 in Cobble Hill, Brooklyn told The Post he was also shaken by the news. 'I was like, 'No way. I don't believe it.' It doesn't all make sense. She goes out, she has a great night. I don't believe it,' Casaceli said. 'That [the drugs] with alcohol – to me it just seems like an accidental thing. To me, it just doesn't add up. She was always smiling.' 6 Anne Burrell with celebrity chef Bobby Flay at an opening of his restaurant Gato in New York in 2014. Carly Erickson/BFA/Shutterstock 6 Burrell's final season of 'Worst Cooks in America' premiered on the Food Network last Monday, July 28, just weeks after her tragic passing. Brian Zak/Page Six Burrell's final season of 'Worst Cooks in America' premiered on the Food Network last Monday, July 28, just weeks after her tragic passing. The Food Network paid tribute to the Cazenovia, New York, native in the final moments of the episode with an 'In Memoriam' flashing on the screen along with Burrell's photo and name. Advertisement The network also included a Public Service Announcement for a crisis line for those suffering and in need of help. A third source close to Burrell told The Post they wondered if the chef's tragic decision could have been made on an impulse. 6 'I was like, 'no way. I don't believe it.' It doesn't all make sense. She goes out, she has a great night. I don't believe it,' Phil Casaceli, Burrell's former business partner (right) told The Post about her suicide. Phil & Anne's Good Time Lounge / Facebook 6 Burrell is survived by her husband Stuart Claxton (right). The pair married in October, 2021 in the chef's home town, Cazenovia, New York. Getty Images for City Harvest Advertisement 'Maybe she never thought about it [suicide] before, and decided to take all the pills in the cabinet [that night]. I knew Anne, she partied. Maybe if she made it through the night, and got her stomach pumped [she would have been okay],' the third source said. A fourth source, a friend of Burrell's, previously told Page Six: 'I know she kind of struggled — once she was on TV and was on her way to be a TV celebrity chef,' the friend told Page Six shortly after the chef's passing. Advertisement 'She was famous, she was doing the food and wine circuit stuff. She was busy — I kind of felt like she wasn't totally happy,' the friend added to Page Six. 'People with big personalities sometimes mask things.' If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or go to
The Star
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Food Network star Anne Burrell dies at 55 from drug overdose: medical examiner
Anne Burrell became a fan favourite at the Food Network for her signature spiky blonde hair and energetic personality on 'Worst Cooks'. Photo: TNS Food Network star Anne Burrell committed suicide by ingesting a mixture of drugs, the New York City Medical Examiner said on July 24. Burrell, 55, was found collapsed on her shower floor inside her Brooklyn apartment about 1am, June 17. An autopsy has determined she died of the 'combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine,' a Medical Examiner autopsy has now found. Her death has been deemed a suicide, a spokeswoman for the city Medical Examiner said. The 911 dispatcher told Burrell's husband, Stuart Claxton, to perform CPR on the Worst Cooks In America host while awaiting first responders, though her body was already cold. EMS personnel also attempted lifesaving measures when they got there but could not revive the chef. Burrell married Claxton in 2021 and was stepmother to his son, Javier. '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,' the Food Network said in a statement after her death. Burrell became a fan favourite at the Food Network for her signature spiky blonde hair and energetic personality on Worst Cooks , doing her best to shape floundering chefs into respectable recipe followers. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
Daily Mail
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Anne Burrell's heartbreaking gesture to Worst Cooks in America co-star before shock death at 55
Anne Burrell made a poignant gesture to her Worst Cooks in America co-star before her shock death aged 55. Last month Burrell, who hosted Secrets of a Restaurant Chef and co-hosted Worst Cooks, was found dead inside her Brooklyn apartment and 'surrounded by pills'. Her cause of death was confirmed as suicide this week. Ahead of the airing of her final TV appearance on Worst Cooks in America: Talented and Terrible on July 28, her co-host Gabe Bertaccini opened up about her final gift to him when filming wrapped. He told TV Insider of his final meet with Burrell: 'It was the finale. Everyone is tired. Weeks and weeks have gone by. We are celebrating the end of the shoot, and I get really sick. I had this cold. I felt like crap. We go through the production meeting and Anne hands me this card. It said, 'I hope you feel better.' 'In the card, there is this cute little heart that she crocheted. She loved to knit. She would do that while waiting for shooting time. This was relaxing to her. The night before she got the car. I still have it. It was such a beautiful gesture and completely unnecessary. That's exactly who Anne was. There was no ego or competition. 'Someone to take a little bit of her time to do something like that for her cohost, it's special. It's a great memory that I'll be taking with me.' He added of the 'generous' star: 'Anne was just Anne throughout the show, after the show, at dinner, texting, or whatever. There was an authenticity that came with Anne. There are hundreds of people who work on this. They will tell you she was just authentically her. I loved her. ' According to the New York City medical examiner's office, Burrell's cause of death was listed as 'acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine.' Diphenhydramine and cetirizine are both antihistamines, ethanol is a type of alcohol, and amphetamine is a stimulant often prescribed for ADHD. Burrell's family declined the publication's request for comment. The Food Network star was found 'in the shower unconscious and unresponsive surrounded by approximately (100) assorted pills', according to NYPD documents seen by The New York Times. Emergency medical teams responded to the home that she shared with her husband Stuart Claxton but she was pronounced dead at the scene. On June 20, a spokeswoman for the city's medical examiner's office confirmed that Burrell's autopsy had been completed but findings on the exact cause of her death was still pending. Claxton reportedly last saw his wife alive at about 1AM the night prior before discovering her unconscious between six to seven hours later in their bathroom. He told TV Insider of his final meet with Burrell: 'It was the finale. Everyone is tired. Weeks and weeks have gone by. We are celebrating the end of the shoot, and I get really sick. Anne hands me this card. It said, 'I hope you feel better.' It was reported earlier this week that EMS crews had attempted CPR on Burrell but could not resuscitate her. Her family said in a statement: 'Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered. '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.' 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.' Just hours before her passing Burrell had performed a improv show at a comedy club in Brooklyn, after having taken classes at the venue's training center. In a podcast earlier this year she spoke with Tori Spelling on taking the classes and how she planned to expand her horizons. She said: '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.' 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. The TV chef - who became synonymous with her trademark spiky platinum hair - is survived by husband, 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. Burrell 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. She also penned two of her own cookbooks - Cook Like a Rock Star and Own Your Kitchen: Recipes to Inspire & Empower.
