Loni Anderson’s Cause of Death CONFIRMED Just Days Before Her 80th Birthday—Fans Heartbroken! 💔😱
Loni Anderson passed away days before her 80th birthday. (Image: Getty)
Loni Anderson, who portrayed a struggling radio station’s empowered receptionist on the beloved TV comedy “WKRP in Cincinnati,” passed away Sunday, just days shy of her 80th birthday, adding to the growing list of celebrity deaths in 2025.
Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital following a “prolonged” illness, confirmed her longtime publicist, Cheryl J. Kagan.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing of our dear wife, mother and grandmother,” Anderson’s family said in a statement. Anderson, a major fixture on CBS, was previously wed to actor Burt Reynolds.
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Anderson achieved stardom playing Jennifer on “WKRP in Cincinnati,” a CBS sitcom that ran from 1978 to 1982.
Located in an Ohio radio station making the shift from easy listening to rock ‘n’ roll, the series became a sensation thanks partly to Anderson’s unforgettable performance.
Anderson died at a Los Angeles hospital. (Image: Getty)
The ensemble cast included Gary Sandy, Howard Hesseman, Tim Reid, Frank Bonner, and Jan Smithers.
Anderson’s contributions to the series garnered her two Emmy Award nominations and three Golden Globe nominations, establishing her as a pop culture legend of the late 1970s and early ’80s.
Beyond the screen, Anderson became a tabloid regular after tying the knot with Burt Reynolds in 1988.
The pair appeared together in the 1983 racing comedy Stroker Ace, but it was their real-life romance, and subsequent divorce in 1994, that maintained her presence in the media.
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Anderson was formerly married to Burt Reynolds. (Image: Getty)
In 1995, she released her memoir, My Life in High Heels, characterizing the book as a tale of strength and perseverance. “It’s about the growth of a woman, a woman who survives,” she shared with The Associated Press.
“It’s about my childhood, the death of my parents, my career, my divorces, and my children. Then of course, the trauma of my marriage to Burt.”
She further stated, “I think if you’re going to write about yourself, you have to do it warts and all. You may not even tell the nicest things about yourself, because you’re telling the truth.”
Anderson’s legacy is left to her husband Bob Flick, daughter Deidra, son-in-law Charlie Hoffman, son Quinton Anderson Reynolds, and grandchildren McKenzie and Megan Hoffman.
