Ananda Lewis dead at 52

Ananda Lewis has died aged 52.

The former MTV VJ and talk show host revealed in 2020 that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Her sister Lakshmi announced the news of her death in a Facebook post.

"She's free, and in His heavenly arms," she wrote, alongside a series of broken heart emojis and a black and white portrait of Lewis. "Lord, rest her soul."

Lewis became well known in 1997 when she was hired as one of MTV's VJs, hosting shows such as Total Request Live and Hot Zone.

In 1999, The New York Times dubbed her "the hip-hop generation's reigning It Girl."

She left MTV in 2001 to host her own talk show, The Ananda Lewis Show.

When Lewis shared in 2020 that she had been diagnosed with stage three breast cancer, she revealed that she had not been going for regular mammograms because of a fear of radiation.

In October 2024, Lewis further revealed that she had gone against medical advice and did not have a double mastectomy after she was diagnosed.

In an essay published in Essence in January, Lewis emphasised that "prevention is the real cure" for cancer, and urged women to pay attention to their bodies.

"We're not meant to stay here forever. We come to this life, have experiences, and then we go," she wrote.

Lewis is survived by her teenage son, Langston, whom she shares with Harry Smith, brother of Will Smith.