The Sweet Gift Anne Burrell Gave Her ‘Worst Cooks’ Co-Star Before She Died originally appeared on Parade.
Celebrity chef Gabe Bertaccini is one of the last people who got the privilege to work alongside Anne Burrell before she died. Burrell hosted Worst Cooks in America since 2010 and had filmed another season before she took her own life in June 2025.
In an interview with TV Insider, Bertaccini talked about working alongside Burrell and shared a fond memory of her. The outlet asked Bertaccini about his last interaction with Burrell that he’s “cherish the most.”
“It was the finale,” he replied. “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.”
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“She loved to knit,” he continued. “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.”
Burrell was found unresponsive in her apartment in Brooklyn on June 17. Her death was later ruled a suicide.
“Anne was a beloved wife, sister, daughter, stepmother, and friend — her smile lit up every room she entered,” her family said in a statement given to People magazine. “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 was 55.
If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide or struggling with suicidal thoughts, help is available 24 hours a day through the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
The Sweet Gift Anne Burrell Gave Her ‘Worst Cooks’ Co-Star Before She Died first appeared on Parade on Jul 25, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
