Anne Burrell | Source: Getty Images

Anne Burrell Found Unconscious and Surrounded by Pills, Sources Say

Jun 20, 2025 - 09:20 A.M.

Celebrity chef Anne Burrell was found unconscious on her shower floor Tuesday morning by her husband, surrounded by a large quantity of unknown pills, according to law enforcement and multiple news outlets.

Anne Burrell, host of "Worst Cooks in America" and a prominent Food Network personality, was discovered dead in her Brooklyn home early Tuesday. Her husband, Stuart Claxton, reportedly found her unresponsive in the shower around 7:50 a.m. and called 911.

Chef Anne Burrell poses during the Food Network & Cooking Channel New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One - Dinner with Anne Burrell and Marc Murphy part of the Bank of America Dinner Series at Chefs Club on October 10, 2019, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Emergency personnel pronounced her dead at the scene. A spokesperson for the New York City Fire Department confirmed that the 911 caller reported a "cardiac arrest."

Claxton was instructed to perform CPR, though sources said her body was already cold when found. It's unclear whether CPR was administered at the time.

Anne Burrell poses during a book signing at the Food Network New York City Wine & Food Festival presented by Capital One - Grand Tasting featuring Culinary Demonstrations presented by Liebherr Appliances on October 15, 2022, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Authorities confirmed that dozens of pills were found near Burrell's body, but emphasized it is too early to determine whether they contributed to her death. An official cause of death will be determined following a medical examiner's investigation.

Burrell, 55, had last been seen alive by Claxton around 1 a.m. that morning. She had attended an improv show in Brooklyn the night before, where witnesses described her as being in high spirits.

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Anne Burrell and Stuart Claxton attend as City Harvest Presents The 2025 Gala: Carnaval at Cipriani 42nd Street on April 22, 2025, in New York City. | Source: Getty Images

Burrell is survived by her husband, stepson, mother, and siblings. The investigation into her death remains ongoing.

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