Fan favorite "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Shannen Doherty has died at the age of 53 after a years-long battle with cancer.
"It is with a heavy heart that I confirm the passing of actress Shannen Doherty. She lost her battle with cancer after many years of fighting the disease," Doherty's publicist Leslie Sloane confirmed in an exclusive statement to People.
"The devoted daughter, sister, aunt, and friend was surrounded by her loved ones as well as her dog, Bowie" when she passed away Saturday. "The family asks for their privacy at this time so they can grieve in peace," read the statement.
Doherty was first diagnosed with Stage 4 breast cancer in 2015, which spread to her bones by 2023. In an interview the iconic actress told People that she didn't "want to die."
"I'm not done with living. I'm not done with loving. I'm not done with creating. I'm not done with hopefully changing things for the better," she said.
"I'm just not, I'm not done," Doherty added.
The actress shared in 2017 that her cancer was in remission, but by 2019 it had returned.
In June 2023, Doherty revealed in an Instagram post that the cancer had spread to her brain and that she had undergone surgery five months earlier to remove a brain tumor she had named "Bob."
"It was definitely one of the scariest things I've ever been through in my entire life," Doherty recounted.
Despite her ongoing battle, Doherty was determined to continue working as she lived with the disease.
Doherty wanted to raise awareness and funds for cancer research, while also demonstrating that people with terminal cancer still have a lot to give.
"When you ask yourself, 'Why me? Why did I get cancer?' and then, 'Why did my cancer come back? Why am I stage 4?' it prompts you to search for a greater purpose in life," she said.
Doherty rocketed to fame as Brenda Walsh on the original "Beverly Hills, 90210," which premiered in 1990. She was later cast in 1998 in the popular show "Charmed" as Prue Halliwell.
Doherty joined the reboot of "Beverly Hills, 90210" in 2019, playing the adult version of the character she made famous.
Her strength through her health struggles had been praised by her fellow actors on the show.
"Shannen is absolutely leading by example and showing people that even in the toughest of times, you can keep your head up and you can be a good person," Austin Green said.
Doherty credited her ability to get through adversity to a higher power and her spirituality, explaining that she thanked God for the things that matter without asking for too much.
Faith was her mantra, said Doherty.
