Ben Watkins
Ben Watkins, a MasterChef Junior contestant from season 6, died on November 6 following an 18-month battle with a rare form of cancer. He was 14 years old at the time. Watkins, who began cooking at the age of three, placed in the show’s top 18 and quickly had become a fan favorite.
Bert Belasco
Bert Belasco died at the age of 38 after starring in the film Let’s Stay Together. The BET star’s body was discovered in his hotel room in Virginia, where he was preparing for a role in an upcoming film. Belasco has appeared on Fox’s Pitch and numerous episodes of Showtime’s I’m Dying Up Here in addition to his role as Charles Whitmore on Let’s Stay Together. He also appeared on Justified, Superstore, NCIS: New Orleans, Key & Peele, and House in brief appearances.