Wendy Williams, the outspoken and often controversial talk show host, has experienced a series of significant challenges in recent years that have drastically altered both her personal life and career. Known for her long-running and successful daytime talk show, The Wendy Williams Show, Williams has faced a combination of health problems, legal and financial issues, and personal struggles. Here’s a detailed look at what happened to Wendy Williams.
1. Health Struggles: Graves’ Disease and Lymphedema
Wendy Williams has been open about her health challenges, particularly her battle with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the thyroid, and lymphedema, which causes swelling in her legs and feet. In 2018, Williams publicly revealed that she had been diagnosed with Graves’ disease, which can cause symptoms like anxiety, tremors, and weight loss. She also has lymphedema, a condition that causes fluid retention and swelling, and she has spoken about using a machine to manage the condition.
Her health issues have caused her to take extended breaks from her show, most notably in 2021 when she stepped away for what was initially believed to be a short hiatus but eventually turned into a permanent departure from The Wendy Williams Show.
2. Career Fallout and End of The Wendy Williams Show
Wendy’s health struggles significantly impacted her ability to host her talk show. In 2021, as she faced ongoing health complications, the show began airing with guest hosts, and the network eventually announced that The Wendy Williams Show would come to an end in 2022 after 13 seasons.
In February 2022, the producers revealed that Sherri Shepherd, one of the guest hosts who had filled in for Wendy, would get her own talk show titled Sherri, which premiered later in the year. This marked the official end of The Wendy Williams Show, a huge change for fans who had come to rely on Wendy’s candid and often controversial takes on celebrity gossip and current events.
3. Financial and Legal Issues
In addition to her health problems, Wendy has been facing significant financial and legal challenges. In early 2022, reports surfaced that Wendy Williams had lost access to her financial accounts after her bank, Wells Fargo, flagged her as being in need of a guardianship due to concerns about her mental health. The bank expressed concerns that Wendy was being financially exploited and petitioned for a court-appointed guardian to manage her finances.
Wendy strongly denied these claims and fought for control over her money, leading to a legal battle. A financial guardian was eventually appointed, and Williams’ access to her accounts has been restricted, causing ongoing frustration for the talk show host.
4. Personal Struggles: Divorce and Family Tensions
Wendy Williams has also faced personal turmoil in recent years. In 2019, she filed for divorce from her husband of over 20 years, Kevin Hunter, after it was revealed that he had fathered a child with another woman. The divorce was finalized in early 2020, but the separation was a highly public and emotionally difficult experience for Wendy, who had frequently discussed her marriage on her show. Hunter had also been her business partner and an executive producer on The Wendy Williams Show, so the divorce marked both a personal and professional shift for her.
Wendy has spoken candidly about her struggles with addiction in the past, and after the divorce, there were reports of her returning to a sober living facility, although she has since appeared to move past those struggles. Her personal life remains a point of public interest and concern for her fans.
5. Plans for the Future and Recent Updates
Despite the end of her show and ongoing health and legal challenges, Wendy Williams has hinted at plans for a return to the spotlight. In 2022, she announced that she was working on launching a podcast, The Wendy Experience, which she teased as her next big project. Wendy claimed that her podcast would allow her to have even more freedom to speak her mind and cover the celebrity gossip she’s known for. However, as of 2023, the podcast has not yet officially launched, and there have been concerns about Wendy’s health and well-being, with some reports indicating that she continues to face physical and mental health challenges.
In a troubling update from March 2023, Wendy’s behavior again raised alarms when she appeared disoriented and unstable during a public appearance. Concerns about her health and her ability to return to work have persisted, and she has largely stayed out of the public eye since.
Key Points:
- Health Struggles: Wendy Williams has battled Graves’ disease and lymphedema, which have led to numerous health complications and extended breaks from her work.
- Career: Her health issues ultimately led to the end of The Wendy Williams Show in 2022, after 13 successful seasons. Sherri Shepherd took over her time slot with her own show, Sherri.
- Financial and Legal Issues: Wendy lost access to her finances in 2022 when her bank flagged concerns about her mental health, leading to a legal battle and the appointment of a financial guardian.
- Personal Life: Wendy’s personal struggles, including her divorce from Kevin Hunter and past issues with addiction, have been highly publicized. She continues to navigate the fallout from these challenges.
- Future Plans: Wendy has expressed interest in launching a podcast, but ongoing health concerns have delayed these plans, leaving her future in media uncertain.
In summary, Wendy Williams’ recent years have been marked by health battles, career setbacks, and personal challenges. While she has expressed a desire to return to the public eye with a new project, concerns about her well-being have kept her largely out of the spotlight. Fans remain hopeful for her recovery and return, but the future for Wendy Williams remains uncertain.
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