EXCLUSIVE - Gary Rhodes' last photo: Celebrity chef is pictured filming ITV documentary 'Delicious Dubai' in sand dunes just three hours before he died

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Arms wide open and smiling broadly as he stands tall on a sand dune, this is the last picture of celebrity chef Gary Rhodes taken just three hours before he died.

The 59-year-old, one of Britain’s best loved chefs, collapsed after returning to his home in Dubai last week and passed away shortly afterwards in hospital.

He was said to be ‘in the best of spirits’ as the TV film crew wrapped for the evening and he returned home to his hotel apartment.

He told friends it had been a ‘perfect’ end to the day’s shoot as he departed for his flat in Dubai’s luxury Grosvenor House, where he had a restaurant Rhodes W1.

Arms wide open and smiling broadly as he stands tall on a sand dune, this is the last picture of celebrity chef Gary Rhodes taken just three hours before he died

The 59-year-old, one of Britain’s best loved chefs, collapsed after returning to his home in Dubai last week and passed away shortly afterwards in hospital

He was said to be ‘in the best of spirits’ as the TV film crew wrapped for the evening and he returned home to his hotel apartment. After showering and eating a light snack with his devoted wife Jennie, Gary suffered a bleed on the brain and died in hospital shortly after

After showering and eating a light snack with his devoted wife Jennie, Gary suffered a bleed on the brain and died in hospital shortly after.

He had shown no signs of illness and had spent weeks enjoying filming for the new ITV series ‘Delicious Dubai’ which is set be screened in the New Year.

The new pictures were obtained exclusively by MailOnline with the approval of his family and colleagues on the ITV series.

A friend Jaideep Bhatia said: ‘Who would have known that Gary would pass away so tragically just a few hours later?

‘He was in the best of spirits and very excited about working on the TV series.

‘He had spent the day filming on the sand dunes of Al Maha when he returned home to be with Jennie and was taken ill.’

Mr Bhatia, the Hotel’s PR chief who worked closely with the chef, added: ‘He was not only one of the most popular chefs in Dubai, but one of the most popular people.

He had shown no signs of illness and had spent weeks enjoying filming for the new ITV series ‘Delicious Dubai’ (above) which is set be screened in the New Year 

The pictures were obtained exclusively by Mail Online with the approval of his family and colleagues on the ITV series

A friend Jaideep Bhatia said: ‘Who would have known that Gary would pass away so tragically just a few hours later?'

‘That has been proved by the number of people from all walks of life in Dubai who will attend a reception in his honour in the next couple of days.

‘Chefs, staff from his restaurant, people he intervened with through his fantastic work or people he just talked to have said they would like to attend and remember him.

‘It shows how loved he was, what a friendly man he was and what a genius we have lost.’

The Michelin star chef was later confirmed to have died from subdural haematoma, which is a bleed on the brain.

He had returned home from filming with Rock Oyster Media, who were making the ITV series, showered and made himself a simple ham sandwich.

He chatted to Jennie, his wife of thirty years, and as they prepared to turn in for the night, he collapsed.

The Camberwell-born chef, who fronted several TV shows including Rhodes Across India, MasterChef, MasterChef USA, Hell's Kitchen, and Rhodes Around Britain had suffered a serious head injury while living and working in Amsterdam.

The Michelin star chef was later confirmed to have died from subdural haematoma, which is a bleed on the brain

The Camberwell-born chef, who fronted several TV shows including Rhodes Across India, MasterChef, MasterChef USA, Hell's Kitchen, and Rhodes Around Britain had suffered a serious head injury while living and working in Amsterdam

He was hit by a transit van, but recovered to enjoy a long career and become a star chef and famous TV face. Days before his death he was filming at the Dubai restaurant of British chef Vineet Bhatia and told him: ‘Life couldn’t be better’

He was hit by a transit van, but recovered to enjoy a long career and become a star chef and famous TV face.

In 2006, the father of two, was made an OBE and two years later appeared on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Days before his death he was filming at the Dubai restaurant of British chef Vineet Bhatia and told him: ‘Life couldn’t be better.’