The statement from the network, which is based in Bedford, said Lamb had been dealing with serious health ailments before suffering a recent back injury. That escalated her challenges and led to a serious medical situation. Her condition deteriorated in the last few days, according to the broadcaster’s statement.
“Joni’s love for the Lord and for the people we serve shaped this ministry from the beginning,” Daystar’s board said in the statement. “We grieve her loss, and we are grateful for the legacy of faith she leaves behind.”
Lamb founded the network with her late husband Marcus Lamb in 1993 and under her leadership, it grew into one of the largest Christian television networks in the world, the statement said. The Dallas Morning News reported previously that Daystar brought in around $14 million annually from selling airtime and received another $14 million a year in donations by the early 2000s. The network is registered as a church, and therefore not obligated to release financial reports.
Marcus Lamb, formerly the network’s CEO, died at 64 in November 2021. At the time, The News reported that Lamb family members said the family patriarch was battling COVID-19.
Daystar Television Network was rocked by allegations in 2024. Joni Lamb and her son, Jonathan, told starkly different stories about a family rift that led to his firing in November 2024 and roiled Christian media.
Jonathan Lamb alleged his young daughter was sexually abused by a male relative, and the allegations led to a disagreement with his parents.
The network will continue with its scheduled programming but is planning on-air tributes in the following days, the statement said. Information about a memorial service for Lamb will be provided in the future, according to officials.
“We know that she is in the presence of Jesus, reunited with Marcus, and receiving her reward for a beautiful life lived in surrender to the Lord,” the network’s said in a post to Facebook.