Wendy Williams' Rep Addresses Hospitalization Rumors
Speculation about Wendy Williams' physical and mental health continues to run. Since her absence turned cancelation of her once popular daytime talk show, the queen of Hot Topics has rarely been seen or heard from publicly, and a few of the times she has, fans have worried about her well-being. Reports about her health declining have included rumors of early stages of Alzheimer's and dementia, reported ongoing substance abuse issues, and her being negatively influenced by the current team around her. Williams has insisted that she's fine, promising a comeback in the form of a podcast, but nothing has come to fruition in the two years since her serious troubles seemingly began. Now, her manager is refuting claims that Williams has been hospitalized, just months after she was released from a wellness facility.
Williams' rep, Shawn Zanotti, told Entertainment Tonight, "I can confirm that Wendy is not in the hospital, as reported. I can also confirm she is not in New York, as reported." Page Six initially reported that Williams checked into a medical facility in New York. Her exact whereabouts at the moment are unknown. In recent years, she's split her time between New York and Florida. She moved into a Manhattan penthouse amid her split from her longtime former husband and manager, Kevin Hunter, after she discovered he was expecting a baby with his longtime mistress. Their divorce was settled in early 2020.
Williams was set to appear as a speaker in Atlanta for a women's expo set to take place this weekend. She was reportedly paid $25,000 for the gig, but canceled her appearance. Previous promotion for her being part of the event has been removed from the website.
Williams has been open about dealing with Graves disease and lymphodema. Her history of cocaine and alcohol use is also well documented. She revealed on her daytime talk show that she was staying at a sober living house in 2019 to address her alcohol use. In her Lifetime biopic, she attributed her relapsing heavily into alcoholism amid issues in her marriage.
Williams' coveted daytime talk show slot has since been filled by comedian, Sherri Shepherd. Shepherd's show has been renewed for two additional seasons, thanks to its first season's success.