MasterChef Junior contestant Ben Watkins has died, aged 14.
Watkins, who appeared in season six of the US competition, died Monday (16 November) after a year-and-a-half long cancer battle.
The news was announced by his grandmother and uncle via their attorney, Trent McCain, who wrote: “After losing both his parents in September 2017, we have marvelled at Ben’s strength, courage and love for life."
“He never, ever complained. Ben was and will always be the strongest person we know.”
Watkins, whose parents died in a murder-suicide three years ago, was diagnosed with angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma earlier this year.
The soft tissue tumour is incredibly rare, and has only affected six people.
He appeared on MasterChef Junior when he was 11 years old, and was known for his daring dishes that won praise from British chef Gordon Ramsay.
Ramsay, who judges the US version of the show, paid tribute to Watkins with an emotional message on Twitter.
Watkins appeared on the show in 2018 and was eliminated in the fifth week.
Fox, the network that airs the series in the US, wrote: “It is with great sadness that we mourn the passing of Ben Watkins, a beloved member of the MasterChef Junior family. Ben overcame so much in his life with a remarkably positive attitude.
"He was a tremendous role model for chefs of all ages and will be dearly missed by everyone at EndemolShine North America and FOX Entertainment.”
His grandmother set up a GoFundMe page to raise money for treatment, which you can find here.
