Celebrating a New Chapter for Worst Cooks in America Following Anne Burrell’s Passing

Anne Burrell.
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Santiago Felipe/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• The first season of Worst Cooks in America without Anne Burrell aired on Jan. 4.
• The celebrity chef died by suicide at age 55 in June.
• Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry are hosting season 30, called Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check.

The 30th season of Worst Cooks in America, marking its first installment without longtime host Anne Burrell, premiered this past weekend.

Titled Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check, the season debuted on Sunday, January 4, featuring celebrity chefs Jeff Mauro and Tiffany Derry as the new hosts. This season is particularly notable as it follows the tragic death of Burrell, who passed away at the age of 55 in June.

Contestants this season span various fields, including reality television, music, sports, and pop culture. Featured participants include Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Lisa Barlow, TV personality Downtown Julie Brown, Dancing with the Stars professional Val Chmerkovskiy, Shahs of Sunset alum Reza Farahan, standout Amara La Negra from Love & Hip Hop: Miami, Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte, RuPaul’s Drag Race legend Manila Luzon, rapper and actor Romeo Miller, Beverley Mitchell from 7th Heaven, and CT Tamburello of The Challenge fame.

Each star is paired with one of the co-hosts, and contestants will be eliminated until a champion is crowned, with the winner receiving $25,000 for their chosen charity.

Burrell’s final season as host aired on July 28—six weeks after her death, which was ruled a suicide just days prior. That season, Worst Cooks in America: Talented and Terrible, featured Burrell alongside first-time co-host Gabe Bertaccini.

In tribute to Burrell, the premiere episode of season 29 included an "In Memoriam" segment, honoring her influence and legacy.

Burrell passed away at her home in Brooklyn, New York, on June 17. Representatives for the chef confirmed her death in a released statement.

Weeks later, it was reported that Burrell’s cause of death involved "acute intoxication due to the combined effects of diphenhydramine, ethanol, cetirizine, and amphetamine," as determined by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office. Diphenhydramine and cetirizine are antihistamines, ethanol is alcohol, and amphetamine is often used to treat ADHD.

Worst Cooks in America: Reality Check premiered at 8 p.m. EST/PST on January 4 and will be available for streaming the following day on HBO Max.