The Wendy Williams Show has officially ended after nearly 14 years on the air — without Wendy Williams.
The daytime talk show was given an emotional send-off from Sherri Shepherd, who has been the main celebrity filling in for the original host this season.
“Today is the final episode of The Wendy Williams Show,” Shepherd said, kicking off her touching dedication Friday.
During what she called a “bittersweet moment,” she expressed gratitude to the devoted team who’ve worked behind the scenes, the series’ loyal fans, and, of course, Williams herself.
“Most of all, we have to thank you, Wendy Williams,” Shepherd said to a flood of applause. “There is nobody like Wendy Williams. From her days on the radio to ruling daytime talk for 13 seasons, Wendy earned her title as the queen of all media. If you think about it, Wendy Williams changed daytime talk.”
The Wendy Williams Show (2) Sherri Shepherd filled in for Wendy Williams for the final episode of ‘The Wendy Williams Show,’ paying tribute to the original host.
The actress and TV personality, who is set to debut her own series this fall, ended her tribute with the kind words, “I want to say, Ms. Wendy, you are an icon and you are loved by so many.”
The powerful goodbye came just days after the show announced it would conclude its longtime run.
“The final original episode of The Wendy Williams Show will air on Friday, June 17, with a video tribute to the iconic host,” a spokesperson for the show told EW on Tuesday. “The series comes to an end after 13 successful years in syndication.”
While Williams was not present for the final episode, the series’ team unveiled a video montage celebrating the broadcast.
The 57-year-old host vacated her famous purple chair in 2020 after grappling with a string of health issues related to Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that impacts the thyroid.
Leah Remini, Fat Joe, and Remy Ma have all taken Williams’ spot during her two-year absence.
Shepherd’s new show, Sherri, will now occupy the 10:00 a.m. ET time slot previously held by Williams’ series.
Singer and actress Vanessa Williams, who was the first-ever guest on The Wendy Williams Show, was also the guest for its last episode.
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