Ananda Lewis, Former MTV VJ and Talk Show Host, Dies at 52

Ananda Lewis, the celebrated MTV VJ and talk-show host, passed away on June 11, 2025, at the age of 52, after a prolonged battle with stage‑4 breast cancer. The news was confirmed by her sister, Lakshmi Emory, via a heartfelt Facebook post.

Lewis was born March 21, 1973, in San Diego, California.

After graduating from Howard University in 1995, Lewis became a staple MTV veejay shortly afterwards. She went on to host Total Request Live and video countdown show Hot Zone until 2001, when she left the network to host her own broadcast syndicated television talk show, The Ananda Lewis Show.

In 2001, she launched The Ananda Lewis Show, which was syndicated by King World Productions, and targeted an audience of women between the ages of eighteen and thirty-four by addressing such issues as domestic violence and breast cancer; it was billed as an alternative to the sensationalism and provocative offerings of Jerry Springer and Ricki Lake, whose talk shows were then dominating daytime ratings. Lewis's show aired on some WB and NBC stations before being canceled after one season.

She worked as a correspondent on The Insider and made appearances on Celebrity Mole: Yucatán, America’s Top Dog, and TLC’s revival of While You Were Out.

In 2018 she was diagnosed with stage III breast cancer, which she didn't publicly disclose until 2020. She advocated fervently for early detection, candidly discussing her own regret over delaying mammograms due to radiation fears. She shared her personal journey openly with video messages, essays in Essence, and CNN interviews, urging women to prioritize prevention.

In 2024 she revealed it had progressed to stage IV and in a poignant final video last spring, she stated: "Prevention IS the cure… there are things I wish I did differently 10 years ago to prevent cancer".

Lewis was a devoted mother to her son, Langston (b. 2011, with Harry Smith, Will Smith’s brother).

Ananda Lewis will best be remembered for using her voice as a platform to uplift others, whether informing teens on BET, energizing MTV audiences, or urging health-conscious vigilance later in life. Her passing is a heartfelt loss to pop culture and advocacy circles.