Ananda Lewis, the beloved media personality who rose to fame as a host on both BET and MTV before launching her own talk show, has passed at age 52 after a lengthy battle with breast cancer. After going public with her diagnosis, Lewis became outspoken about her health battle and advocated for preventive measures and awareness. It was indicative of her lifelong commitment to serving her community.

An alumna of Howard University, Lewis initially came into public recognition via her time as host of BET’s Teen Summit. A show for young people and by young people, Lewis’ tenure began in 1995, and she sat center stage and led teens through conversations about drugs, sex and gangs – all while still only in her early 20s herself. It forged her public image as an attentive and empathetic interviewer; while also emphasizing her sense of fun and spontaneity. Lewis would move on to MTVin 1997, where she hosted hit shows like Total Request Live and MTV Live en route to becoming one of the network’s more popular personalities. She interviewed stars like NSYNC and Destiny’s Child, and hosted informative specials about the Columbine shooting and a tribute to her friend Aaliyah after the singer’s death in 2001.

American R&B musician Maxwell (R) and American MTV VJ Ananda Lewis (L) backstage at the VH1 Fashion Awards in October 1998 in New York City, New York.

Photo by Catherine McGann/Getty Images.

Lewis was diagnosed with ER/PR positive, HER2-negative breast cancer at Stage 3 in 2019. In 2024, she revealed in an interview with CNN’s Sara Snider that her cancer had progressed to Stage 4.

“We’re not meant to stay here forever,” she explained in a Feb. 2025 ESSENCE story about her journey. “We come to this life, have experiences — and then we go. Being real about that with yourself changes how you choose to live. I don’t want to spend one more minute than I have to suffering unnecessarily. That, for me, is not the quality of life I’m interested in. When it’s time for me to go, I want to be able to look back on my life and say, ‘I did that exactly how I wanted to.’ We all have that right. I know I’ve done the right thing for me. It might not be the right thing for anybody else, but it doesn’t have to be. “

In what would be her final post on Instagram, Lewis was advocating for awareness and urging people to learn preventive measures to avoid cancer.

“Prevention IS the cure,” she posted in February. “If you’re in a healthy body, you’re holding a winning lotto ticket. PLEASE learn how to avoid cancer. Because you still can. Love you💜.”

For a generation that came of age with her on their screens, Ananda Lewis will always epitomize intelligence, professionalism and passion, fierceness and fun. She was a fighter and was committed to making a difference — whether it was talking to young people on Teen Summit in her youth, or advocating for breast cancer awareness in her later years.

R.I.P.

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