Wendy Williams has made headlines for much more than her brutally honest opinions and on-air spats with her A-list interviewees.
The talk show host has found herself face-to-face with numerous health and personal struggles, from struggling with a cocaine addiction in the beginning of her career, to more recently, battling Graves’ disease, hyperthyroidism and other physical ailments.
Williams’ marriage has also been a hot topic as her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter, had been accused of living a double life and being unfaithful to her. After Hunter welcomed a baby with another woman in March 2019, Williams finally pulled the plug on their 21-year marriage. The former couple finalized their divorce in January 2020.
The pair’s ups and downs were explored in Williams’ January 2021 Lifetime biopic, Wendy Williams: The Movie, and the follow up documentary titled Wendy Williams: What a Mess.
Williams didn’t hold back sharing the darker parts of her past in the films as viewers learned that she is the survivor of sexual assault and got a more in-depth look at her struggles with substance abuse.
Scroll down to take a look back at William’s health and personal struggles:
Hunter’s Affair Rumors
In September 2017, the Daily Mail published photos of Hunter hanging out with a woman named Sharina Hudson in New Jersey. The U.K. newspaper claimed that he had purchased a home for the massage therapist just nine miles down the road from the house he shared with Williams. The report further alleged that Hunter and Hudson had been romantically involved for more than 10 years. The next morning, Williams said on The Wendy Williams Show that she will “stand by my guy” and assured viewers not to “believe the hype.”
Fainting on Live TV
The Emmy nominee fainted on air in October 2017 while wearing a Statue of Liberty costume for Halloween. Producers rushed to her rescue when she collapsed to the floor as the broadcast cut to a commercial break. The host returned minutes later, explaining that she simply “overheated in my costume.”
Flu Scare
Williams was forced to cancel three episodes of her syndicated show during the week of Valentine’s Day in February 2018 after experiencing flu-like symptoms. She noted on Instagram that she had not taken “a sick day EVER in over 25 years,” and returned as promised the following Monday.
Graves’ Disease and Thyroid Issues
The former radio host took three weeks off from The Wendy Williams Show from late February to mid-March 2018 due to issues with Graves’ disease and hyperthyroidism. “Wendy’s doctor prescribed a necessary three weeks of rest to get her levels and medication in sync,” a rep for the show told Us.
Cocaine Confession
To celebrate her “Be Here” national campaign with The Hunter Foundation, Williams reflected upon her decade-long battle with cocaine addiction during a July 2018 interview. “I was a functioning addict,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “They wouldn’t fire me because I was making ratings. … It’s a miracle I was able to stop.”
Shoulder Fracture
The fashion designer suffered a “hair fracture on my right shoulder” in mid-December 2018, but she soldiered on. She hid her sling under her clothes on air while announcing to viewers, “I don’t need an operation, and I’m not wearing a hard cast. … The show will go on!”
Slurring Her Words
Viewers expressed concern on social media after Williams slurred her words during a December 2018 episode of her show. She acknowledged her behavior was “less than stellar” and explained that she usually tries to avoid taking pain medication. “I really do ride or die for my craft and give 200 percent,” she insisted. Her health complications proved to be too much to handle though, and she repeatedly delayed her return to the show to focus on her well-being. “The struggle of being the main centerpiece of the show, day in and out, while fighting Graves’ disease has been a real battle,” a source told Us before Williams’ March 2019 return.
More Hunter Cheating Rumors
As some skeptics continued to question the status of Williams and Hunter’s marriage, she addressed the speculation head-on. “I want to shout out my husband. I am still wearing my ring,” she said on TV in March 2019. “When you’ve been with somebody for 28 years, married for 25 … we know each other. He is my best friend, my lover. … I know what you’ve been saying and I know what the streets have been talking about. … I’m still very much in love with my husband.”
Sober Living House
The TV personality revealed in March 2019 that she has been staying at a sober living house and has a 24-hour coach. “When you see me come to work glammed up, right after the show I go across the street, I do my Pilates. I told you — two hours a day or [so], to take care of my body,” she told viewers. “I’ve had a struggle with cocaine in my past. I never went to a place to get the treatment. I don’t know how, except God was sitting on my shoulder and I just stopped.”
Divorce Filing
One month after Hunter made headlines for reportedly welcoming a child with Hudson, Us confirmed that Williams filed for divorce in April 2019. Williams and Hunter finalized the case in January 2020.
Another Break
Williams announced in May 2020 that her talk show was going on hiatus again. “Recently, Wendy has been dealing with symptoms from her Graves’ disease which is causing fatigue. In consultation with her doctor and as a precautionary measure, she will be taking some time off as she continues to receive treatment,” a spokesperson from The Wendy Williams Show said in a statement to Us.
Season 13 Issues
In September 2021, the host was forced to delay the start of the 13th season of her show not once, but twice. After testing positive for COVID-19, The Wendy Williams Show announced in a statement at the time that the premiere date would be moved from September 19, 2021, to October 4, 2021, to “allow Wendy time to quarantine and fully recover.”
At the end of the month, the show announced via Instagram that the premiere date would again be pushed back to October 18, 2021, explaining that Williams “continues to be under a doctor’s care and is still not ready to return to work.”
As Williams recovered off camera, a slate of guest hosts were tapped to take her place on The Wendy Williams Show throughout November 2021.
In February 2022, Us confirmed that Williams wouldn’t be returning to her talk show for the rest of season 13. The news came shortly after Williams’ bank Wells Fargo referred to her as an “incapacitated person.” According to Page Six, the bank sent a letter to New York Supreme Court Judge Arlene Bluth requesting a hearing on the basis that Williams might need guardianship to help handle her finances.
The talk show host’s attorney Celeste N. McCaw filed an emergency petition ahead of the bank’s statement, claiming Wells Fargo had denied Williams access to her assets.
Addressing the Rumors
One week after announcing plans to take a “hiatus” from her talk show, Williams assured fans that she was “on the mend” in a statement from her counsel, LaShawn Thomas. “Wendy wants the world to know that she strenuously denies all allegations about her mental health and well-being,” the lawyer said in February 2022. “Wendy wants you to know she is fine; she is of sound mind … Wendy is grateful for the love and the outpouring of support she has received from her fans and she can’t want to get back.”
The statement also addressed reports that Wells Fargo has declared Williams an “incapacitated person,” claiming that the bank would not let her son — who has Power of Attorney — check in on her financial affairs. Thomas also stated that the talk show host “spoke with several bank managers” to prove she was of sound mind and alleged that Wells Fargo only raised suspicions about her wellbeing when she decided to switch to another bank.
In addition, the statement claimed that all of the recent rumors about Williams’ heath were the “allegations of a former employee who is upset because she no longer has direct and unfettered access to Wendy’s financial affairs.” The TV personality once considered this person to be a “friend,” according to her counsel.
Officially Over
In February 2022, it was announced that Williams’ show was ending after its 13th season, with Sherri Shepherd taking over in the former’s Fox daytime slot.
“We all have a great love and affinity for Wendy, who grew into a true icon during her 12 incredible seasons as the solo host of a live, daily talk show dishing on ‘Hot Topics’ and interviewing celebrities,” the copresidents of The Wendy Williams Show’s production company noted in a statement at the time. “Since Wendy is still not available to host the show as she continues on her road to recovery, we believe it is best for our fans, stations and advertising partners to start making this transition now. We hope to be able to work with Wendy again in the future, and continue to wish her a speedy and full recovery.”
The final episode of the original talk show aired in June 2022.
Hunter Takes Action
After Debmar-Mercury announced in February 2022 that The Wendy Williams Show would not be returning, Hunter filed a lawsuit against the show’s producer-distributor, alleging wrongful termination. Hunter was an executive producer on his ex-wife’s talk show and was fired shortly after Williams filed for divorce in April 2019.
In his suit, Hunter claimed that he was axed solely on the basis of his personal relationship with Williams, alleging that he was “instrumental to the show’s success” as he “negotiated, produced, and planned most of the concepts and branding behind the show” before being fired. Hunter also argued that he was “significantly damaged reputationally, professionally and financially” by the decision.
Checking Into a Wellness Facility
Williams found an in-patient treatment program to treat “overall health issues,” according to a September 2022 press release issued on her behalf.“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,’” the statement read. “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.”
Her Son Expresses Concern
After Kevin Hunter Jr. spoke out about his mother’s well-being in a June 2023 interview, a source exclusively told Us the concern was likely warranted. “As of last year, Wendy wasn’t doing well,” the insider explained, adding that the TV personality “didn’t seem like herself” and was “incoherent at times.”
The insider claimed: “People aren’t surprised her son is concerned.”
Dementia and Aphasia Diagnosis
Williams’ family revealed that the former TV personality was undergoing treatment for cognitive issues in February 2024. “I spoke with her yesterday and I speak with her very regularly when she reaches out to me,” Williams’ sister, Wanda Finnie, told People at the time. “She is, from what I understand, in a wellness, healing type of environment.”
One day later, news broke that Williams had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and aphasia. “As Wendy’s fans are aware, in the past, she has been open with the public about her medical struggles with Graves’ Disease and Lymphedema as well as other significant challenges related to her health,” read a press release shared with Page Six.
According to the announcement, Williams underwent several tests in 2023 after she began to “lose words” and “act erratically.” As a result of her diagnosis, Williams can “receive the medical care she requires.”
The statement ended on an uplifting note, stating, “She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way.”
Rare Public Appearance
For the first time in more than a year, Williams was spotted out in public.
The former talk-show host and her son, Kevin Hunt Jr., were spotted at holistic store Bolingo Balance in Newark, New Jersey, on August 19, 2024. “Much love to Wendy Williams and her son ❤️,” the store said via Instagram with a photo of Williams holding a bouquet of flowers and a bag of items. “@topfloor_kev I remember when I met Kevin in Usha village, my dad told me I want you to meet Wendy’s son. At that time, we were the only ones of the same age in Usha.”
Her Court-Appointed Guardian Speaks Out
Williams’ court-appointed guardian, Sabrina E. Morrissey, said in a November 2024 filing that the beloved star has become “cognitively impaired, permanently disabled and legally incapacitated” amid her battle with early-onset dementia. Williams’ health update came as part of Morrissey’s legal battle with A&E Television Networks, Lifetime Entertainment and other affiliates involved with releasing the Where Is Wendy Williams? docuseries.
“This case arises from the brutally calculated, deliberate actions of powerful and cravenly opportunistic media companies working together with a producer to knowingly exploit [Williams],” Morrissey claimed in court docs obtained by Us, referring to the former talk show host’s dementia diagnosis. “FTD is a progressive disease, meaning that there is no cure and the symptoms only get worse over time.”
Morrissey alleged that the media companies “filmed without a valid contract” and released the docuseries without her consent. She also said that Williams was in a “highly vulnerable” state and she was “clearly incapable of consenting to being filmed, much less humiliated and exploited.”
Morrissey is asking the court to approve “narrowly applied redactions” to certain portions of the ongoing lawsuit involving Williams’ “health, familial relationships and finances” in order to protect the star’s “privacy and dignity.”
In separate court documents obtained by Us at the time, AETN denied the basis for the lawsuit.
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