Masterchef entrant dies after running London marathon
A FORMER Masterchef contestant has died after running the London Marathon in memory of his father.
Donations have poured in for Matt Campbell, a professional chef from the Lake District, who collapsed at the 22.5-mile mark in Sunday’s race.
He received medical treatment at the scene but later died in hospital. The exact cause of death is yet to be determined. A keen runner, Mr Campbell, 29, completed the Manchester Marathon earlier this month in under three hours.
He was a contestant on Masterchef: The Professionals last year, with Marcus Wareing, a judge on the show, describing his signature dish of “cod cheeks, spirulina, kale & kombucha” as the best he had ever tasted on the television contest.
Mr Campbell was raising money for the Brathay Trust, a charity in Ambleside, Cumbria, which runs training and skills programmes for vulnerable youths and young adults.
Before the marathon, he had just beaten his target of raising £2,500 but by last night, donations on his Justgiving web page had surpassed £75,000.
On his fundraising page, Mr Campbell told how his father Martin, who died 18 months ago, worked “tirelessly” for the charity and through his work, had “helped change many lives for the good”.
Mr Campbell wrote: “As many of you know, I lost my father Martin 18 months ago suddenly. The past year and a half have been the toughest of my life but his spirit and energy live on in me.
“Although he won’t be there in person, I know he will be there in spirit and I will be running for him.”
Masterchef paid tribute to Mr Campbell, praising him for “some of the most innovative and groundbreaking food we saw on the show”.
Mr Campbell began his career in Michelin-starred kitchens, and came second on the BBC’S Young Chef of the Year aged 20.
He had worked in the French Alps as a chef for “VIP guests”, according to his website.