Ananda Lewis, former MTV VJ, dies at 52

Ananda Lewis, an MTV VJ and talk show host, has died at the age of 52. 

Lewis’ sister Lakshmi took to social media to share news of her death on Wednesday, June 11. 

“She’s free, and in His heavenly arms,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “Lord, rest her soul.” 
 

In 2020, Lewis revealed she had been diagnosed with Stage III breast cancer, noting that due to her fear of radiation, she had not been getting regular mammograms. 
 

Lewis was part of a roundtable with CNN’s Sara Sidner and her college friend Stephanie Elam about breast cancer, where she revealed she had stage IV cancer after going against medical advice about a double mastectomy. 

“I couldn’t handle doing such a drastic surgery in my life at that time,” Lewis said in an interview with Good Morning America in October 2024. “I was a stay-at-home mom, homeschooling my son. Cancer doesn’t come and replace all the other stuff you have to do. Cancer happens on top of your life, and for me, it was just too overwhelming in the beginning.” 
 

Lewis said she had not done mammograms because she saw her mom do them, and despite that, she still got breast cancer. 
 

The former talk show host said she “didn’t turn her back on medicine” and was being monitored by doctors while making changes to her diet and undergoing fractionated chemotherapy. 
 

Lewis hosted BET’s Teen Summit for three seasons and moved on to MTV, where she hosted Total Request Live and Hot Zone. She left MTV in 2001 to host her namesake talk show. 
 

On what she wanted people to remember her for, she told GMA, “That I loved hard, and lived loud, and didn’t back away from problems. And loved this life and was OK with letting it go too.” 

BET took to Instagram to remember Lewis sharing in a post, “As the host of BET’s Teen Summit, she didn’t just lead conversations—she sparked change, empowering a generation to speak up, love themselves, and think deeper.” 

“Ananda brought brilliance, beauty, and authenticity to every space she entered. Her impact lives on through the countless lives she touched, both on and off screen,” the post continued. “We honor the life and legacy of Ananda Lewis—an unforgettable voice, trailblazer, and truth-teller.”