Ross Burden dead: Celebrity chef dies of cancer, aged just 45

Ross Burden, the former star of ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’, has died in hospital in his native New Zealand.

The 45-year-old chef was diagnosed with leukaemia last year, but his death is said to have come as a surprise, with his sister Kirsten Hughes telling the New Zealand Herald, "Right up until probably a week-and-a-half ago, he was making his next lot of plans. He had the world map out."

He was close to completing a PhD in Maori studies, she said. "He's just a friendly, compassionate guy - nothing was too much trouble. He was my big, fantastic incredible, larger-than-life brother.”

A self-taught cook, he was a finalist on the 1993 ‘MasterChef’, following which he was a regular on the long-running ‘Ready Steady Cook’ for a decade.

Once voted one of Britain’s most eligible bachelors, he ran a successful catering company, cooking for royalty, both real – Princess Anne – and showbiz – Joan Collins.

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He lived in London for nearly 20 years, but returned to New Zealand in 2010, where he joined the judging panel of the national version of ‘MasterChef’.

Colleagues from the show were quick to pay tribute. James Martin tweeted: "Just heard the sad news my old Ready, Steady, Cook colleague Ross Burden has passed away. My thoughts go out to friends and family. RIP Ross".

Phil Vickery added: "Very sad news my friend and fellow chef Ross Burden died!"

Paul Hollywood of ‘Great British Bake Off’ tweeted: "I'm so sorry to hear the news that Ross Burden has died.. appearing for years in Ready, Steady Cook, my thoughts are with his family x"

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