Ananda Lewis, the former MTV presenter who rose to fame in the 1990s, has died at the age of 52 following a battle with breast cancer.
She was best known for hosting Total Request, MTV Live, and Hot Zone, becoming one of the most recognisable faces on the network during its peak music television years. In 1999, The New York Times described her as "the hip-hop generation's reigning It Girl."
In 2001, Lewis fronted her own daytime programme in the US, The Ananda Lewis Show, where she covered a mix of entertainment and social issues.
MTV said in a statement: "We’re saddened to learn of the passing of beloved MTV VJ, Ananda Lewis. Through her on-air hosting and interviews, Ananda helped raise a generation of music fans. Our thoughts are with her family and loved ones."
In 2020, Lewis revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 after discovering a lump. She admitted she had delayed getting mammograms and urged others not to postpone routine screenings.
She is survived by her husband, Henry Smith, the brother of actor Will Smith, and their son, Langston, who was born in 2011.
