One more time at the table. The late Anthony Bourdain will appear in a final season of his CNN series Parts Unknown, which will air this fall.
Bourdain had completed just one episode of the upcoming season 12 before he died by suicide at age 61 in France in June, the L.A. Times reports. Therefore that installment, in which the host traveled to Kenya with W. Kamau Bell, is the only one that will include the chef’s narration. Audio taken while on location and interviews with his travel companions will take the place of his narration in other episodes. Filming for the season took place in Texas, New York, Indonesia, Mexico and Spain.
The final two hours of the series will pay tribute to its host. The penultimate episode will allow the cast and crew to reflect on Bourdain and his legacy while also featuring a behind-the-scenes look. Meanwhile, the series finale will catch up with guests from throughout the show’s run and share fans’ opinions.
Bourdain was filming Parts Unknown in France with pal and fellow chef Éric Ripert at the time of his death. The season 11 finale, which aired in June, was previously thought to be the series’ last. The author participated in a death ritual during the episode. “It is considered enlightening and therapeutic to think about death for a few minutes a day,” he said in a voiceover.
Parts Unknown received six Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Informational Series or Special, in July. The CNN show has already garnered five Emmy wins and may earn more when the Primetime Emmy Awards air on September 17.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
