Culture

'MasterChef' Semi-Finalist Matt Campbell Dead At 29

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Taylor Rock|

MasterChef semi-finalist Matt Campbell has died after collapsing during the London Marathon on April 22. According to the BBC, the 29-year-old collapsed after running 22.5 miles of the 26.2-mile course. Despite receiving medical attention, he passed away later at the hospital. The exact cause of death has not been disclosed.

Campbell, who appeared on the BBC's MasterChef: The Professionals in 2017, was running the race for charity Brathay Trust in honor of his late father, who died in 2016. The philanthropy, which inspires people to make positive changes in their communities, offered condolences on a memorial page, writing that Campbell was a "unique inspiration, a positive person whose enthusiasm and love touched so many."

The U.K.-based cook —who began working in Michelin-starred restaurants after placing second on the BBC's Young Chef of the Year in 2009 — took to Instagram before the London Marathon to announce that this would be his second in just two weeks, having just run one in Manchester.

Campbell also shared a snap of himself and MasterChef co-star Tom Peters.

"Let's do this!!" he captioned the photo on Twitter.

Peters — the sous chef at Roux at Parliament Square — gave a tribute to his friend on Instagram, where he wrote: "Matt, feel so blessed to of shared so much with you in a short amount of time, words can't describe how we're all feeling at this time. You were an inspiration to so many in so many different ways, the world has lost a star and we've all lost a brother! RIP."

He is also urging people to donate to Brathay Trust in honor of the late chef. So far, £39,314 ($54,827) has been raised, far surpassing his original £2,500 ($3,486) goal.

According to CNN, this year's London Marathon was one of the hottest on record with temperatures soaring to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Due to the warmer weather, organizers suggested that runners apply sunscreen and run at a lower pace. They also supplied extra water and ice, and made sure there were enough showers available en route. But according to the BBC, organizers ran out of water at miles eight, nine, and 10.

How much water is enough water? For the average healthy adult, experts recommend eight cups per day. But depending on the temperature and your activity level, you might need more. We asked 10 nutritionists how much H20 you should actually drink, and here's what they said.

UPDATED on April 24 at 11:43 a.m. ET:

In an email, a spokesperson for Masterchef told The Daily Meal: "We are shocked and saddened to hear the news about Matt Campbell, one of our talented contestants from last year. It was a privilege to have him on the show.  He will always be remembered for producing some of the most innovative and ground-breaking food that we saw on the series. From the whole MasterChef team, our sincere condolences and thoughts are with his family and friends."

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