Saturday Kitchen star Russell Norman leaves wife huge sum after tragic death aged 57

According to reports from today, Russell Norman, the TV host, left his wife for £1.4 million after his death.

The TV chef and restaurateur bequeathed the large sum to his family, including three children, Ollie, Martha and Mabel, after he died in November last year. The £1, 437, 000 assets includes business and personal items, according to reports.

The will, signed in 2013, ordered the estate be passed to his estranged wife Jules Norman, whom he wed in 2004 but separated from before he died. The chef, who was born in Perivale, west London, also penned his wish to be cremated and for his partner to take over his shares in his businesses, The Sun says.

Russell, 57, mentored wannabe chefs on TV and was branded “the coolest man in food” for his innovative dishes. After becoming renowned on the beloved BBC sitcom Saturday Kitchen, he and his wife, Sarah, co-wrote four cookbooks.

Before becoming a chef, Russell first studied English at the university and served for a while before retiring. After launching the legendary Soho bar Polpo with a business partner in 2009, his culinary career grew.

However, the father was taken to the hospital after arguing with his girlfriend in November 2023. Five days later, Russell hanged himself, according to an inquest in February. His inquest heard he had been displaying “suicidal tendencies” before his death.

In a statement read by Coroner Katrina Hepburn, Russell’s girlfriend Dr Genevieve Verdigel, an art historian, told how she discovered Norman lying unconscious in the garden. She said: “I ran back inside to call 999. I attempted CPR. The neighbors came round and I screamed.

Following the chef’s passing, fans of his work and TV co-stars flooded social media with tributes. James Martin, the former host of the Saturday Kitchen, hailed him as a “giant” in the restaurant industry.

The late star was “one of the most talented of restaurateurs,” according to restaurant critic Jay Rayner. He shared: “So sorry to hear of the death, far too young, of Russell Norman”.

Source: Mirror