Very troubling news today out of the world of television and entertainment:
Darnell Ferguson — a Food Network personality often referred to as “SuperChef” — has been arrested on numerous charges… including strangulation, burglary and terroristic threatening in Kentucky, according to multiple news reports.
Here is what we know at the moment…
On Tuesday, Ferguson was booked into the Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections after taken into custody on the aforementioned charges.
Ferguson has also been charged with misdemeanor assault, menacing, criminal mischief and theft-receipt of a stolen credit or debit card.
Authorities said earlier today that, due to the sensitive nature of the case, they could not comment further.
We therefore cannot add very much to this story at this time.
We can confirm, however, that court records cited by WHAS 11, WDRB and Courier Journal state Ferguson had a protection order filed against him on January 2 after someone alleged that he entered a woman’s home without permission, choked her and threatened to kill her.
The identity of the person who filed the order has not been made public.
Ferguson is described on the Food Network website as a celebrity chef, restaurateur and entrepreneur, who currently hosts Superchef Grudge Match.
In early 2023, he co-hosted Season 25 of Worst Cooks in America alongside Anne Burrell.
Ferguson also is a frequent judge on Chopped and Guy’s Grocery Games… competed on 3 seasons of Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions … and recently appeared on OWN’s The Big Holiday Food Fight and Food Fantasies.
Ferguson is scheduled to appear in court on January 17, official records state.
UPDATE:
Based on court documents, Ferguson illegally entered a woman’s home and then began screaming at her and punching the walls, causing damage to her home.
These papers say that he grabbed the victim by her neck with both hands and began choking her, while also threatening to kill her.
The woman told authorities she couldn’t breathe and lost consciousness.
When she regained consciousness, she said she was on the floor and Ferguson then ripped off her shorts. He is accused of demanding to see the woman’s private parts and told her she was his and no one else’s.
Police said before Ferguson left the victim’s home, he stole her credit card, debit card, and ID.
The victim was left with redness, scratches and pain to her neck, along with a scratch to her upper thigh.