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Since 2005 Brits across the nation have watched a group of strangers compete for the title of ultimate dinner party host as amateur chefs battle it out for a cash prize.

Come Dine With Me often features guests with clashing personalities and after a whopping 45 seasons, with sarcastic and hilarious commentary by Dave Lamb, the show has become a staple of British telly.

But along the way there has been a series of tragedies. While viewers see contestants show off their homes and put on glad rags as they try to impress with their culinary skills, tragedy had struck some of these smiling chefs.

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Since its launch in 2005, several of the show’s most memorable contestants have sadly passed away.

From suicide, tragic terrorist attack death and a hard-fought cancer battle. Let’s take a look at those we’ve sadly lost…

Nicholas Blything

The popular series most recently revealed the tragic death of contestant Nicholas Blythe at the end an episode in November this year.

The Channel 4 programme paid tribute to the contest who sadly passed away leaving viewers "devastated".

Nicholas Blything was only 36-years-old when he died on June 15 this year, with a funeral notice posted online. Since the show's announcement, many fans have poured onto the funeral site with well wishes for his family and tributes to a "beautiful human".

One wrote: "I am so sorry to read the sad news of your passing. You threw yourself in 100% to Come Dine with Me and I can only imagine you lived your life that way. We didn't know you but you appeared a most beautiful interesting human on the show. Our love to your family and friends."

Another wrote: "Just watched CDWM, shocked and saddened to see the obituary at the end of the programme, you brought so much joy in that half an hour it made the news all the more shocking. Sleep peacefully." His cause of death was not disclosed by his family members.

Spencer Uren

Spencer, 37, decided to have a go on the show in a bid to win the prize money to pay his younger sister's mortgage as she was unable to work while suffering from Hodgkin's lymphoma.

But in a tragic twist, Spencer ended up losing his battle with the disease himself just months after filming the show.

It took place in January 2009 and Spencer sadly passed away in September, leaving his co-stars and viewers devastated.

The contestants from the show decided to start a campaign in Spencer's name that encouraged people to have their own dinner party to raise £250,000 for cancer patients.

Spencer's Channel 4 co-star Gill Puley started the initiative and said: "Spencer was a lovely chap. He came in and out of my life so quickly, but we would have been friends for a long time if he was still here.

"After the show we saw each other regularly and it was a terrible shock when he was also diagnosed with cancer."

Dawn Barry

Tragedy struck when Come Dine With Me when contestant Dawn Barry died after a long battle with alcoholism and depression.

The 36-year-old beautician – who was a fan favourite – passed away back in 2013 after being rushed to hospital after reportedly committing suicide.

Dawn Barry was loved on the show for her eccentric personality and had been seeking celebrity stardom on a string of reality television shows for more than a decade.

After appearing on Blind Date and Club Reps the glamorous salon owner from Lancashire finally shot to fame as a contestant on the TV cookery programme in January 2009.

Dawn was named on fan sites as the Channel 4 show's ‘best ever contestant’, causing endless amusement after becoming raucous and then suddenly falling asleep.

She drew gasps from viewers when she became tipsy on her own competition night and went to bed – leaving one of the other contestants to cook her meal.

She was seen collapsing at the table with her hair falling into a dish filled with avocado dip, and another night she left a dinner party unannounced after she felt sleepy.

The sudden bouts of sleepiness caused some viewers to debate whether she was suffering from narcolepsy. But the beautician had in fact been dealing with alcohol and mental health problems for a number of years and had spent time in rehab.

Friends paid tribute to Miss Barry, describing her as :talented” and the ‘”life and soul of a party”.

Martyn Hett

Hundreds of people including celebrities and Coronation Street stars gathered to attend the funeral of Come Dine With Me winner Martyn Hett, who died in the terrorist attack in Manchester back in 2017.

The 29-year-old PR manager – who also appeared on Tattoo Fixers – was at Ariana Grande’s concert with his best friend Stuart Aspinall when the pair became separated towards the end of the show and he got caught up in the horrific explosion set up by a suicide bomber.

Martyn's friends, including comedian Jason Manford, had taken to social media to appeal for information about him before his boyfriend, Russell Hayward, announced the tragic news on Twitter.

His funeral was attended by a slew of celebs including Corrie stars Kym Marsh, Helen Worth, Antony Cotton and Jennie McAlpin.

Pop star Michelle McManus performed at the funeral, while superstar Mariah Carey even left the blogger a video message in tribute.

Huw Jones

School headteacher Huw Jones, 51, made headlines back in 2017 after he was found dead in a church graveyard two days after allegations of possessing indecent images were made against him.

It is believed Huw killed himself after discovering police were investigating him for possessing child porn. Mr Jones had been head at Albert Primary School, in Penarth, near Cardiff, for twelve years after working in education since he was 26.

A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: "We are investigating the sudden death of a 51-year-old man, whose body was discovered in fort Road, Lavernock, on Wednesday, February 1.” A bottle of wine was found next to his body.

One of Huw's friends added: "Goodbye my friend. May you light up the sky like the bright bright star that you always were. I'll miss you very much. You'll always be in my heart."

A student thanked "inspiration" Huw, writing on Facebook: "Mr Jones was such an exciting new headteacher for everyone at Albert Primary… he brought out my inner dramatic side completely and really helped me discover my love for performing at such a young age."

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