Suzanne Somers Dead at 76 After Breast Cancer Battle _ E! News

Transcript

00:00 Suzanne Summers has died at the age of 76.

00:04 Her publicist confirms her death in a statement to E! News on behalf of her family,

00:09 sharing, "Suzanne Summers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15.

00:16 She survived an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years.

00:21 Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband, Alan, her son, Bruce, and her immediate family.

00:27 Her family was gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16.

00:32 Instead, they will celebrate her extraordinary life

00:35 and want to thank her millions of fans and followers who loved her dearly."

00:40 The news comes less than three months after the actress had revealed that her breast cancer had returned,

00:46 after she was first diagnosed with the illness in her 50s.

00:50 She told Entertainment Tonight, "At the time, I have been living with cancer for decades now.

00:55 Using the best of alternative and conventional medicine to keep it at bay."

00:59 She added, "As one of millions of cancer patients, we do our best not to let this insidious disease control us.

01:06 I find bliss in each day. My husband has been by my side every step of the way,

01:11 and my family has been so supportive."

01:14 The actress gained fame in the 1970s for her role as Chrissy on the sitcom Three's Company,

01:20 in which she starred alongside John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt.

01:24 Suzanne later opened up about being fired from the show,

01:27 saying she was let go after asking for a pay raise.

01:31 She told Fox News in 2022, "At that time, the men were making 10 to 15 times more than I was,

01:38 and I was on the number one show. It just seemed wrong because I was clearly being underpaid."

01:44 Following her departure from TV, Suzanne went to Las Vegas,

01:47 where she hosted a successful residency at the MGM Grand.

01:51 In the 1990s, Suzanne, alongside her husband, Alan, launched the Thighmaster,

01:57 which eventually became one of the best-selling infomercial products ever.

02:01 The star told the Hollywood Raw podcast in 2022 that she and her husband

02:07 had made around $300 million from the exercise devices.

02:12 Suzanne returned to TV in 1991 on the hit sitcom Step by Step.

02:17 You went to Jamaica together? No. No, we did not go to Jamaica together.

02:27 We went separately.

02:31 [laughter]

02:33 Her career on the small screen would continue in the '90s and 2000s,

02:38 with hosting credits on shows like Candid Camera and the 2012 online talk show Breaking Through.

02:44 In 2015, she competed on Dancing with the Stars.

02:48 Suzanne was married to her husband, Alan, for 46 years,

02:52 and she shares a son, Bruce Jr., with her ex-husband, Bruce Summers.

02:56 Her publicist notes that a private family burial will take place this week,

03:01 with a memorial to follow next month.

03:04 [music]

03:09 (upbeat music)

03:11 (upbeat music)