‘Was only recently discovered,’ says source on Kirstie Alley’s cause of death.
The actress’s representative has confirmed that an illness “only recently discovered” was the official cause of death.
As reported by her representatives, Kirstie Alley passed away at the age of 71 after a brief battle with colon cancer.
A representative for the legendary actress told People that natural causes were the cause of death.
Alley’s death was “only recently discovered,” according to a statement posted to Twitter by her family.
The “incredible team” at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida, was also thanked.
With great sadness, we share the news that our incredible, fierce, and loving mother has passed away after a courageous battle with cancer.
According to the children’s statement, Alley “fought with great strength” and was “surrounded by her closest family” when she passed away.
The statement continued, “Our mother’s zest and passion for life, her children, grandchildren, and her many animals, as well as her eternal joy of creating, were unparalleled and leave us inspired to live life to the fullest, just as she did.”
There were just over seven months between Alley’s April appearance on The Masked Singer and her death.


During her brief time as the Baby Mammoth, Alley participated in a singing competition.
While her final TV appearance saw her in disguise, on September 8 Alley said she was now available on the Cameo app in a final Instagram post.
Many of you have requested that I record these greetings, and I am always happy to comply with your requests. “If you want something funny or if you want something sincere — I would really try to be sincere,” she joked. It’s kind of like saying “Hi, I love you,” “Merry Christmas,” or “I want a divorce.” I’m here to help in any way you require.
In the NBC comedy series Cheers, which starred Alley and Ted Danson from 1987 to 1993, the former was best known for her portrayal of Rebecca Howe, the sexy bar manager. She was nominated five times for an Emmy and finally won in 1991 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her portrayal. She also won a Golden Globe Award for her performance.
Over the course of her more than 40-year career, she appeared in a wide variety of films, including Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) and Look Who’s Talking (1989), starring John Travolta, Bruce Willis, Olympia Dukakis, and George Segal. Look Who’s Talking Too, released in 1990, and Look Who’s Talking Now, released in 1993, were both sequels to the successful film.
In 1994, she won the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or Special for her performance in the CBS drama David’s Mother.
Comedic roles were central to Alley’s career, and he made appearances in a wide variety of sitcoms such as The Goldbergs, The Middle, Hot in Cleveland, The King of Queens, and Dharma & Greg.