FOOD Network start Anne Burrell looked in good spirits as she shared a post just days before her shock death.
The long-time host of Worst Cooks died aged 55 on Tuesday at her home in Brooklyn, New York – leaving swathes of the show’s fans devastated.
Just days before her death, she shared what would be a final Instagram post of her posing up with New York sweetheart Elizabeth Eaton Rosenthal.
Also known as The Green Lady, the pair were all smiles as they snapped a selfie in the city’s sunshine.
Anne wrote: “I ran into @greenladyofbrooklyn in my neighborhood today!!
“I’m not going to lie- I have been keeping an eye out for her.
“I may or may not have followed her down the street for a minute. She is just lovely!!!”
The two women then shared a back and forth in the comments, with Elizabeth inviting the host to her garden to “pick figs”.
Following the news of Anne’s tragic death, The Green Lady and heartbroken fans flocked to the post’s comments to share their tributes.
Elizabeth, 83, wrote: “Hi Anne, you are such a lovely person just to meet and not knowing you.
“I just love you and so sorry but come to my garden and visit with all your beauty and love and I will be waiting for you.”
“Rip Anne. You brought so much light to Food Network. Worst Cooks is still one of my favorite shows,” said one fan.
Condolences for your family. It’s difficult to believe this news came out of the blue. You have always been one of our favorite chefs and a wonderful person! There is no doubt that you will be dearly missed by many, one reader expressed.
“I am beyond devastated. May you rest in eternal peace,” added a third.
‘Her smile lit up every room’
The 55-year-old was found “unconscious” in her home on Tuesday, NYPD confirmed.
Shortly after her family released a statement announcing her death.
It read: “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.”
An investigation into the cause of her death is ongoing.
Anne leaves behind husband Stuart Claxton.
Spin-off absence
Anne’s first appearance on Food Network was a stint on Iron Chef America in 2005, before working on the series Secrets of a Restaurant Chef in 2008.
In 2010 she made a name for herself on Worst Cooks In America.
Earlier this year, there was chatter and rampant speculation that Anne might have been fired from the Worst Cooks franchise.
Even though she had been a prominent host on the popular TV show, rumors suggest she was not slated to appear in its spin-off series: Worst Cooks in America Celebrity Edition.
When Anne was absent from the show on January 10, fans rushed to social media to gauge what had happened.
“Why aren’t you in Worst Cooks? It’s not the same,” penned one person on Anne’s Instagram, underneath a post.
Anne replied: “Honestly I don’t know”.
Recent podcast appearance
In a recent podcast interview on TV Chef Rachael Ray’s show last December, Anne openly talked about the challenges of being a woman in the culinary world and how she navigated through them.
She said: “I feel like when you take the effort to do that on your outside it makes you feel better on the inside.
“And like when you show up to a situation, no matter what it is, when you are put together, people notice that.
“And I think it just almost commands respect, you know, where, when you have taken the time to put together yourself.”
