Wendy Williams Has Been Diagnosed With Aphasia and Dementia
A new docu-series will give viewers an update on her health.
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Talk show host Wendy Williams is giving an update on her health, with her team issuing a statement sharing that she has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). According to the statement, the conditions have impacted Williams's ability to communicate as well as her cognitive functions and have "already presented significant hurdles in Wendy's life."
Williams's condition mirrors that of Bruce Willis, who was diagnosed in 2023. Williams has been out of the public eye since her talk show ended in 2022, and her team assures fans that she is getting proper medical care.
“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,” Williams's statement reads. “Over the past few years, questions have been raised at times about Wendy’s ability to process information, and many have speculated about Wendy’s condition, particularly when she began to lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions.”
"The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy," the statement continued. "But to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances. Unfortunately, many individuals diagnosed with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia face stigma and misunderstanding, particularly when they begin to exhibit behavioral changes but have not yet received a diagnosis."
"Wendy is still able to do many things for herself," the statement finished. "Most importantly, she maintains her trademark sense of humor and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed. She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way."
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People reported that Williams has been living at a facility since April 2023 and is under the financial control of a court-appointed guardian. The news of Williams's dementia comes ahead of a Lifetime documentary, Where is Wendy Williams?, which is set to give viewers a peek into her life post-talk show, including her struggles with substance abuse and her health. The docu-series is set to air on Feb. 24.
In a preview of the documentary, Williams's manager, Will Selby, shared that she has “cognitive issues.” Williams's son, Kevin Hunter Jr., adds that physicians believe that her issues may be connected to her alcoholism.
“From taking her to appointments and things like that, I was able to really learn more about things going on with my mother internally,” Hunter Jr. says in the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “They basically said that because she was drinking so much, it was starting to affect her headspace and her brain.”
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