A little over two years since Wendy Williams' last appearance on her former talk show, the legendary host and radio gossiper will be the focus of the new Lifetime docuseries, Where is Wendy Williams?
Ahead of the show's Feb. 24 premiere, Williams' family members spoke to People for a new cover story about the 59-year-old, who struggled with mental health issues and alcoholism at the time of filming. In 2021, Williams stepped away from her syndicated Fox talk show due to her battle with Graves disease, an immune disorder that causes hyperthyroidism.
“We've all seen the images over the last few months — and, really, few years — of what has seemed like a spiral for my aunt,” Williams' niece, Alex Finnie, told People. "It was shocking and heartbreaking to see her in this state.”
Filming for the Lifetime project began in August 2022, where it was originally intended to chronicle Williams' podcast, but the show's premise changed amid Williams' drastic health condition. Filming stopped the following April when Williams was brought to a facility to treat her “cognitive issues,” as shared in the film by her manager and jeweler Will Selby.
Williams is reportedly still in the facility, where the only person to have direct access to her is a court-appointed legal guardian, whose identity was not disclosed in the People article. However, in the film, Williams accuses her guardian of having stolen money from her.
"The people who love her cannot see her,” said Wendy's sister and Alex's mother Wanda. “I think the big [question] is: How the hell did we get here?”
Also in the Lifetime miniseries is Williams' son, Kevin Hunter Jr., 23, whom she shares with her ex-husband, Kevin Hunter. Although Williams' son denies having "taken [money] without her consent," Wanda claims that he's still financially supported by his mother.
The report goes into extensive details about the end of Williams' hosting her talk show, which came when she was discovered in her apartment with her eyes rolled back. “How did she go from this aunt or sister that we love and is healthy one minute to this person who’s in and out of the hospital?” Wanda said. “How is that system better than the system the family could put in place? This system is broken.”
Now with the family focused on getting Williams healthier, the docuseries is sure to shine a light on her intended recovery process as her family and friends figure out the next steps.
