Wendy Williams Speaks out About Her Talk Show Ending, Hints at Return to TV
The Wendy Williams Show is coming to an end with its 13th season, with Wendy Williams herself never having made it back to the set amid her health issues. Williams responded to Debmar-Mercury's decision to cancel the series and replace it with Sherri Shepherd's new show in the fall, saying she respected the decision. However, she is planning to return to TV in the future, her spokesperson Howard Bragman told Deadline.
"It's been a challenging time for Wendy as she deals with her health issues. She is incredibly grateful to Debmar-Mercury, to Sherri and everybody else who has supported the show through this time," Bragman said. "She, more than anyone, understands the reality of syndicated television – you can't go to the marketplace and sell a show that's The Maybe Wendy Show. She understands why this decision was made from a business point of view, and she has been assured by Debmar-Mercury that should her health get to a point where she can host again and should her desire be that she hosts again that she would be back on TV at that time."
Debmar-Mercury, the studio that produces and distributes The Wendy Williams Show formally announced on Monday that Shephard would be getting her own show, titled Sherri, to replace Wendy. Shepherd was named the "permanent guest host" for the rest of Wendy Season 13, following a carousel of guest hosts throughout the season. Williams has not hosted her show since July 2021.
When announcing their decision, Debmar-Mercury Co-Presidents Mort Marcus and Ira Bernstein said they share a "great love and affinity" for Williams. "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," Marcus and Bernstein continued. "We hope to be able to work with Wendy again in the future, and continue to wish her a speedy and full recovery."
Williams' team hoped to shut down the rampant speculation about her health on Feb. 16 when they created a new Instagram page called "@therealwendywilliamsonline." In the first post, Williams spoke with her son, Kevin Hunter Jr., while walking along a Florida beach. "She thanks everyone who has been patiently awaiting her return and believes that thanks in large part to the love and support of her son, her family, her new team of doctors, and a change of scenery, she is on the mend," Williams' publicist told Page Six.
Williams is also in the middle of a legal battle with Wells Fargo, which her lawyers have accused of freezing her bank accounts. In one court filing, the bank's legal team said Williams is an "incapacitated person" who needs guardianship. Wells Fargo cited a former financial advisor, who claimed Williams was being exploited. Williams' team has denied Wells Fargo's claims. Last week, the case was sealed from the public, Page Six reports.
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