Caterer Joseph Cerniglia - who was savaged by Gordon Ramsay on Fox's Kitchen Nightmares - has committed suicide because of money troubles related to his Campania restaurant, Breaking Celebrity News is reporting.

The body of the 39-year-old New Jersey restaurateur was found floating in the Hudson River in New York. Officials believed he jumped to his death.

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When Cerniglia appeared on Ramsay’s reality show in 2007, the volatile host told him: “You’re restaurant is about to f** king swim down the Hudson – why did you become a chef-owner if you haven’t got a clue how to run a business?”

Authorities revealed that a motorist called 911 last Friday after spotting a man standing on the George Washington Bridge at around 1pm; his body was found later that day.

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Cerniglia’s family posted messages of condolences on his Facebook page ‘thanking all of his friends for their messages and condolences.’

They asked for financial donations be sent in lieu of flowers to support his widow Melissa Cerniglia and their three sons Evan, Michael and Nicholas.

When he appeared on Kitchen Nightmares Cerniglia claimed that he owed $50,500 to his supp