Subject: Ready Steady Cook Ross Burden star dies aged 45 after cancer battle

Celebrity chef Ross Burden has died aged 45 after a battle with cancer.

New Zealand-born Ross first gained TV fame reaching the final of Masterchef in 1993 before going on to appear regularly alongside Ainsley Harriott on Ready Steady Cook.

In 2010 he returned to New Zealand to join the judging panel on the country’s first MasterChef series.

His sister, Kirsten Hughes, is reported to have said the former model was diagnosed with a form of leukaemia last July, but died after contracting an infection during a bone marrow transplant.

She told the New Zealand Herald that Burden had been one assignment away from completing a Masters in Maori Studies at Auckland University.

"He's just a friendly, compassionate guy - nothing was too much trouble,” she said.

“He was my big, fantastic incredible, larger-than-life brother.

"Right up until probably a week-and-a-half ago, he was making his next lot of plans. He had the world map out."

Fellow TV chefs paid tribute to Ross on Twitter, who died on July 17.

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!"

Aldo Zilli said: "Remembering the good times on this very sad day for the Ross Burden family my thoughts are with you."

Great British Bake Off's Paul Hollywood 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"

Burden is survived by his sister, mother Anne and extended family.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/ross-burden-dead-ready-steady-3924574#ixzz38kw7lllM