My Kitchen Rules New Zealand contestant Michael Murray has suddenly died.
A family member confirmed his death to Daily Mail Australia on Monday afternoon.
“It’s a shock to all those who know him,” the relative, who asked not to be named, said.
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Murray, of Ngāti Maniapoto heritage, competed in this year’s season of the hit amateur cooking show with his cousin Piki Knap.
According to their biography for the series, the pair grew up together in Te Kūiti, south of Auckland, and developed their love of cooking from entertaining family guests.
The Jamie Oliver fan also had a global palate, but described his secret weapon as “being a mighty kitchen ninja”.
Fairly comfortable in front of the camera, Murray spent 12 years in Mexico, where he worked on telenovela soap operas and did small stints on other shows.
He returned home to New Zealand after the COVID-19 pandemic placed challenges on the industry.
“My background is modelling and acting,” he told The New Zealand Herald.
“I was Mr New Zealand back in 2005, and that’s what took me overseas and eventually to Mexico. Obviously, I’m not Mexican, but they thought I was Latino! I did some great work there, then to come home and be a part of this whole journey with MKR is a blessing in disguise. I’ve always put my hand up to opportunity.”
On the day of filming their instant restaurant on the show, the pair, who are more like siblings, found out their aunt was diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Sadly she passed away a few months later.
Murray’s family are now dealing with the devastation of losing another loved one.