WENDY Williams has been battling various health issues for nearly two decades.
The talk show host has been candid about her well-being numerous times after needing to take time off from the industry to recuperate.
What is the latest on Wendy Williams?
On June 17, 2022, The Wendy Williams Show officially came to an end after airing on television for over a decade.
Wendy Williams has been struggling with various illnesses for the past 19 years due to which she was absent for the last season.
In May 2021, Wendy went on a hiatus from her talk show due to health concerns surrounding her Graves’ disease.
A spokesperson for her show told PEOPLE at the time that the star had been “dealing with symptoms from her Graves’ disease, which is causing fatigue.”
She also confessed to the magazine that she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism 19 years ago.
Williams said at the time, “I feel a hundred percent better than I was a few months ago. I had a storm going in my body is the best way I can explain it.”
“It came from me neglecting my six-month endocrinology appointment.”
“I have Graves’ disease and hyperthyroid.”
“If you have one you don’t necessarily have to have the other, but I have both, and I was diagnosed with both 19 years ago.”
Wendy has also battled Covid and question marks have hung over whether she will return to this small screen this year.
In March 2022, however, Wendy claimed on Good Morning America that she would return to her show “in three months” and that she had “the body of a 25-year-old.”
However, on June 14, 2022, it was announced The Wendy Williams Show was officially canceled.
Timeline of Wendy Williams’ health battle
2017
2018
- Early February: Wendy canceled three shows after experiencing ‘flu-like symptoms’
- February 21: She announced a three-week hiatus due to issues with hyperthyroidism
- December 17: Wendy missed taping her show after suffering a bone fracture
2019
- Early January: Wendy postpones her return to her show
- January 18: For the third time, the host pushed back her return
- January 29: The Wendy Williams Show’s official Instagram revealed Nick Cannon would be taking over as temporary host
- January-March: DailyMailTV reported at the time that Wendy had been struggling with abusing alcohol and pills after fracturing her shoulder in December 2018, and the outlet claimed Wendy checked into a detox and rehab facility during her break from the show
2020
- Wendy clapped back at those trolling her Lymphedema during an after-show on Instagram, “Stop asking me about the cankles, I have Lymphedema. Stop asking me why I wear sneakers, I have Lymphedema. Stop asking me why my eyes bulge, I’ve got Graves’ disease. Stop asking me, like, dumb mess! Can we connect on a more cerebral level?”
2021
- March: Wendy showed viewers a close-up of her severely swollen ankles as she suffers from Lymphedema
- May: Wendy went on a hiatus from her talk show due to health concerns surrounding her Graves’ disease
- September 15: Wendy was taken to the hospital for “psychiatric service”
- September 20: Wendy’s show was scheduled to return but was delayed after she tested positive for Covid
- October 4: The Wendy Williams Show was due to return for its 13th season
- October 18: After being postponed twice, the show premiered
2022
- January 10: As of January 2022, Wendy Williams has not returned for the 14th season of her show due to ongoing health issues
- January 21: Wendy Williams’ son shared a photo of her in Brickell, Miami
- March 17: Wendy confirms on Good Morning America that she would be returning to her show in three months.
- June 14: The Wendy Williams show was canceled
- September 14: The U.S. Sun exclusively reported that Wendy checked into a wellness facility. Her publicist Shawn Zanotti told The U.S. Sun she checked in to “manage her overall health issues.”
2024
- January 26: It is reported that, in 2023, Wendy left New York and moved to Florida to recuperate and be closer to her family.
- February 1: Wendy appeared in a new trailer for a two-night documentary event premiering on Lifetime. The video was removed just moments after release.
When did the last episode of The Wendy Williams Show air?
The Wendy Williams Show was scheduled to return for its 13th season on October 4, 2021, but it was postponed twice and premiered on October 18.
Season 13 premiered without Wendy Williams, with a stream of new hosts taking her place.
In February 2022 on The Wendy Williams Show, Sherri Shepherd told fans, “Starting in September I am starting my own talk show!”
After her big announcement, the show’s press team sent out the official release that made it clear- Wendy is not returning to her own show.
The show was officially canceled on Tuesday, June 14. The last episode aired on Friday, June 17.
“The final original episode of The Wendy Williams Show will air with a video tribute to the iconic host,” a show spokesperson confirmed to Deadline.
When is the Wendy Williams documentary premiering on Lifetime?
Wendy Williams resurfaced for the first time since 2022 in a trailer for a documentary special set to premiere on Lifetime.
The clip, released on February 1, 2024, depicts the broadcaster with her adoring audience on the stage of her show and even receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Her decline in health is also front and center in the trailer.
The two-night documentary event was set to premiere in late February, but Lifetime deleted the trailer moments after it was released.
