Wendy Williams will remain absent from her famous purple chair amid ongoing health issues. In a social media statement from her Instagram account, it was announced that the host will sit out her season 13 premiere week, in favor of a rotating cast of guest hosts while she continues to recover.
“The Wendy Williams Show will start airing originals on Monday, Oct. 18, with an exciting lineup of guest hosts and panels to be announced shortly,” the post read.
Williams initially had to push back the beginning of her show’s new season as she was battling some psychiatric issues and a breakthrough case of COVID-19. Originally slated to begin Oct. 4, The Wendy Williams Show premiere was pushed to Oct. 18 to give the host more time to get her health in order to return to work.
Now, with health issues still plaguing the host due to her Graves’ disease and a thyroid condition, production will move forward without her in the host seat for at least the first week of the show’s production.
“Wendy continues to be under medical supervision and meets with her medical team on a daily basis. She is making progress but is experiencing serious complications as a direct result of Graves’ disease and her thyroid condition,” the post went on. “It has been determined that more time is needed before she is able to return to her live hosting duties.”
“Wendy is a valued and stalwart member of the Debmar-Mercury family and has been so for 12 years. We want her health to be her top priority. As soon as she’s ready, she will be back in her treasured purple chair.
“We very much appreciate the respect for Wendy’s privacy, as well as all the good wishes from her fans, station partners and advertisers.”
The veteran media personality has been open and up-front about the various medical and personal issues she has faced over the last few years, including a very public and nasty divorce, a brief stint in a sober house to keep a handle on her addiction issues and mounting health problems and illnesses. She notoriously covered her life’s current highs and lows in a lifetime biopic and documentary earlier this year.
