Wendy Williams is focusing on her health before her planned comeback. The former Wendy Williams Show host is seeking treatment for “overall health issues,” her rep confirms to Yahoo Entertainment.
“Wendy has entered a wellness facility seeking help to manage her overall health issues. She is taking some time to focus on her health and wellness as she prepares for a major comeback for the next level in her career with The Wendy Experience Podcast,” Williams’s spokesperson shared on Wednesday. “Ms. Williams is being treated by a team of some of the best doctors in the world. We ask for your prayers and well wishes during this time.”
Williams’s rep did not elaborate what specific health issues the star is dealing with, but the iconic Black television host has struggled in recent years.
In 2017, Williams fainted on-air hosting her eponymous talk show. Viewers noticed her speech was slurred at times. Williams took various extended breaks from the program revealing she suffered from Graves’ disease, an immune system disorder that results in the overproduction of thyroid hormones. Williams later shared that during one hiatus, she was living in a sober home after an addiction relapse amid marital trouble.
Along with health struggles, Williams dealt with numerous personal issues behind the scenes. In 2019, she filed for divorce as her husband of 22 years, and former executive producer on the Wendy Williams Show, had a child with another woman. Williams’s mother died in 2020. Williams has also been in a dispute with Wells Fargo as the bank froze some of her assets. Williams’s former financial adviser alleged that she was “of unsound mind.” In May, a New York judge appointed her a financial guardian.
The Wendy Williams Show came to an end in June after 13 seasons. Williams did not appear during the show’s final season due to health issues. Sherri Shepherd assumed the daytime television slot with her own eponymous talk show.
In August, Williams’s behavior sparked concern among fans as she appeared disoriented in New York City and claimed she wed a New York Police Department officer. A spokesperson for Williams assured Yahoo that the television personality was mentally fine, just busy preparing for her comeback. Fans eagerly welcomed Williams back to social media two weeks ago as she teased her upcoming podcast.
“I find a lot of people are trying to say that Wendy isn’t well, but she’s a 58-year-old woman that’s going through a lot at one time,” Williams’s manager, William Selby, told Yahoo last month. “So Wendy’s not gonna have her best moments all the time. There’s gonna be times where she’s going to be physically going through something and she’s trying to be strong or push through, but the reality is that she’s one human dealing with a lot at one time.”
Selby said that Williams is mentally OK.
“I just wish that, you know, people would just recognize that she’s a human and just try to be a little bit patient with her. She’s trying her best to get back to where she knows she needs to be, so she can continue her legacy, but it’s not… where it’s gonna happen instantly,” he added.
