The actress, renowned for her roles in ‘Three’s Company’ and ‘Step by Step’, succumbed to breast cancer on Sunday (15.10.23) morning after a lengthy battle with the disease.
Suzanne’s long-time publicist, R. Couri Hay, issued a statement on behalf of her family, stating: “Suzanne Somers passed away peacefully at home in the early morning hours of October 15th. She courageously fought an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years.
“Suzanne was surrounded by her loving husband, Alan, her son, Bruce, and her immediate family.” The statement went on to say, “Her family had gathered to celebrate her 77th birthday on October 16th. Instead, they will commemorate her extraordinary life and express their gratitude to her millions of devoted fans and followers.”
Suzanne’s breakthrough came in 1977 when she was cast in the sitcom ‘Three’s Company,’ co-starring with John Ritter and Joyce DeWitt, portraying the role of ‘dumb blonde’ Chrissy Snow. The show achieved considerable success, but Somers left the program in 1980 due to a dispute over her salary. Subsequently, she appeared in sitcoms ‘She’s the Sheriff’ and ‘Step by Step.’
However, Suzanne’s focus shifted away from acting as she established a fitness empire, serving as a spokesperson in infomercials for the ThighMaster, a piece of exercise equipment clamped between a person’s thighs.
She and her husband, Alan Hamel, expanded their empire with books on wellness, weight loss, and sexuality, though the star did face criticism at times for her views on certain medical topics.
Somers was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer back in 2000 and announced in July that the disease had returned. She told Entertainment Tonight at the time: “I have been living with cancer since my twenties. And every time that little f*** pops up, I continue to bat it back. I do my best not to let this insidious disease control me.
“It’s a recurrence of my breast cancer. Like any cancer patient, when you get that dreaded, ‘It’s back,’ you get a pit in your stomach. Then I put on my battle gear and go to war. This is familiar battleground for me, and I’m very tough.”
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