Update: The medical team treating Wendy Williams has issued a statement regarding the speculation around her health struggles.
As Today reports, the statement confirmed that Williams has been diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. You may have heard of aphasia before if you’ve been following actor Bruce Willis’s health struggles as well.
“Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy’s ability to process information and many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions,” the release stated, according to Today. “Unfortunately, many individuals diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia face stigma and misunderstanding, particularly when they begin to exhibit behavioral changes but have not yet received a diagnosis,”
In an exclusive interview with People, Wendy Williams’ family is revealing the talkshow host’s struggles are as bad as it seems.
“We’ve all seen the images over the last few months — and, really, few years — of what has seemed like a spiral for my aunt,” Williams’ niece Alex Finnie told People. “It was shocking and heartbreaking to see her in this state.”
Today, Williams remains in an institution, receiving around the clock care for her “cognitive issues.” According to People, she’s been a patient at the facility since April 2023.
It’s believed by doctors that her cognitive issues are the direct result of her struggle with alcohol abuse, Wendy’s son revealed. However, while Wendy has been institutionalized, Wendy’s sister, Wanda, tells People the only person who has full access to the host is her court-appointed legal guardian.
“The people who love her cannot see her. I think the big [question] is: How the hell did we get here?”
And while those questions still haven’t been answered, Wanda said only one thing is for sure. “There is not a person in this family who doesn’t want the same thing for Wendy, and that is her health. She can’t wait to start the next chapter of her life,” Alex added.
It’s been years since the public received a reputable health update on longtime talk show host Wendy Williams. Now the talk show host is speaking out herself.
In a new documentary set to debut this year called Where Is Wendy Williams? Williams herself and several people closest to her are speaking out and diving deep into the health issues that took nearly everything away from her.
In the trailer shared by Lifetime, her family alleges that her court-appointed guardian took Wendy away from them as video clips show Wendy struggling to stand and walk. Wendy is then heard saying, “I have no money. If it can happen to me, it can happen to you.”
The show will seemingly discuss her known battle with Graves’ disease, but also her secret battle with alcohol addiction and reportedly her struggles with “swollen feet caused by a blockage in the lymphatic system, saying, ‘I can only feel, now, 2%. There’s no cure for this.’”
“My mom has always wanted to work. But I feel like she has worked enough,” her son can be seen saying. “Right now, she’s weak and vulnerable and she needs to be around people who aren’t going to take advantage of that.”
The family has grown wary of the people around Wendy, calling them “yes men,” and worrying if Wendy may be losing her memory. “Any body could look at her and know there is more going on,” a person can be heard telling the cameras.
“I miss my family,” Wendy said tearfully as loved ones always assured they would be there.
Back in 2022, amid reports of health issues, Wendy Williams stepped away from her self-named talk show. According to E! News, Williams has made the decision to focus on her own wellbeing for the remainder of this season, which means her show needs to find a new cohost.
According to a source, The Wendy Williams Show will be hosted by a woman who needs no introduction to daytime television. And she has guest-hosted the show already before.
Shutterstock
Over the last several months, Williams’ show has used guests hosts to fill in for Wendy while she focuses on her health. Now it is being reported that one of those guest hosts may hold a more permeant place as host, at least until Williams is better.