Wendy Williams, 59, is ready to tell her whole story. The former host of The Wendy Williams Show is set to appear in a two-part documentary film about her life on February 24, 2024. Wendy is featured in the shocking trailer in which she discloses many painful truths about her health and career. “I have no money,” the 59-year-old said in the trailer. “And I’m gonna tell you something. If it happens to me, it could happen to you.”
The trailer for Lifetime’s Where is Wendy Williams? was released two weeks ahead of the doc’s premiere and painted the TV personality in a different light. Wendy’s family, including her son Kevin Hunter Jr., are featured in the film and often express concern over her. “My mom has done a great job making it seem like everything is okay always, but in reality, there’s something wrong going on,” Wendy’s only child said in the film. Ahead of the premiere, below is everything to know about Wendy’s life today.
Wendy Williams’ Time on ‘The Wendy Williams Show’
After many delays to resume with Wendy in the fall of 2021, The Wendy Williams Show eventually had others fill in for her. By mid 2022, the longstanding talk show was officially cancelled. Sherri Shepherd‘s new show, Sherri, then took Wendy’s timeslot and the loss of her show reportedly “broke” her, per PEOPLE. The talk show premiered in 2008 and quickly became a fan-favorite for celebrity gossip lovers.
Wendy later opened up about making a possible comeback to TV during a March 2022 interview with Good Morning America. “I’m 57 years old now but I have the mind and body of a 25 year old,” she quipped during the interview. “Give me about three months. There are private things that I have to deal with and then I’ll be ready to come back and be free and ready to do my thing. Keep watching because I’m going to be back on The Wendy Show, bigger and brighter than ever.”
Wendy Williams’ Health Struggles
There were continuous delays in Wendy’s return to her talk show due to her ongoing health issues. Years prior, in 2018, Wendy revealed that she had been diagnosed with Graves’ disease. In February of that year, she spoke to her live audience and opened up about her ongoing health struggles, per CBS News. “My thyroid has been totally cattywampus and that is the eye thing that you all have been seeing. You caught it before I did,” the Love Triangle alum said.
Wendy addressed the public’s speculation regarding the appearance of her eyes and noted it was due to her diagnosis. “My thyroid, my hyperthyroid is attached also to Graves’ disease,” she added. “Graves’ disease squeezes the muscles behind your eyeballs and so that’s the reason for — ” she then widened her eyes to get her point across. At the time, she was encouraged by her medical team to take three weeks off from work.
By 2022, Wendy’s health continued to decline. The former radio host’s publicist sent Hollywood Life a press release in September 2022 and revealed that Wendy had begun treatment at a wellness facility. “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,” 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.” Wendy then exited the rehab facility by October 2022.
What Wendy Williams’ Family Has Said
Ahead of the doc’s premiere, Wendy’s family has come forward with growing concerns for her health. Not only has she been battling Graves’ disease, but Wendy has also suffered from alcohol addiction, per PEOPLE. In June 2023, Kevin opened up about his mother’s drinking habits. “There are a lot of people who are very aware that there is an issue with her drinking and how that issue may be helped, but I think these people are taking advantage of it while allowing it to play out to make it look like they aren’t causing the issue,” he told The Sun at the time.
Later, Wendy’s manager Will Selby disputed Kevin’s claims. “Taking advantage of her for what? To get what? To do what? I’m not here to brag, but I was doing just okay before Wendy came along and I insisted on helping her because she requested my assistance,” he said during a conversation with Entertainment Tonight.
“Wendy is under a guardianship. Everything that she does gets approved by the guardianship. A court-appointed guardianship,” Will continued. “So, no one, even if they wanted to take advantage of her — everything has to get approved by that court. So, any type of business dealings that we do, Wendy, myself, and anyone — we have to get the guardianship to sign off on it. So how can anyone take advantage of her?”
Wendy is still seeking care at the wellness facility, per PEOPLE, and the only one who has constant access to her is her appointed legal guardian. “The people who love her cannot see her,” Wendy’s sister Wanda, 65, said during the doc’s trailer. “I think the big is: How the hell did we get here?” Fans can catch the two-part documentary about Wendy on Lifetime beginning on February 24, 2024.