Wendy Williams’ has revealed more startling news about her health.
Variety reports that the former talk show host has been diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). While aphasia impacts language and communication abilities, FTD affects behavior and cognitive functions. FTD is also what Bruce Willis diagnosed with in 2022.
“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,” her team shared in a press release.
“The decision to share this news was difficult and made after careful consideration, not only to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy, but to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia and support the thousands of others facing similar circumstances,” the statement continued. “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.”
In addition to aphasia and FTD, Williams also suffers from Graves’ Disease and lymphedema. Those two conditions forced her to bow out as host of The Wendy Williams Show, which launched in 2008 and ran for 13 seasons. She left in 2021, at which point guest hosts assumed her role; the show was ultimately canceled with her last episode airing in June 2022.
The news arrives before the premiere of her two-part Lifetime documentary about her life, called, Where is Wendy Williams?
In a conversation with People Magazine, her sister, Wanda Finnie, said that her sister is “in a healing place place emotionally,” and that, “She’s not the person that you see in this film.”
Where is Wendy Williams? debuts on Feb. 24 and 25 on Lifetime.
