Wendy Williams’ Health and Personal Problems Explained: From Graves’ Disease to Divorce and Financial Woes
Wendy Williams built a daytime TV empire as a controversial talk show host with a penchant for tearing down other celebrities and using their weakest moments against them. The line between her personal life and professional persona has often been blurry — Williams once humiliated an audience member who was attracted to a married man, a move that had viewers reflecting on Williams’ marital problems.
Though Wendy Williams has been scathingly judgmental of others in the name of entertainment, the truth is that her own path has been a challenge. A series of health and personal crises seems to have taken a toll, and now Williams says she’s done with the daily TV appearances that have made her career.
Wendy Williams has faced multiple health challenges
Williams’ health problems became glaringly apparent to fans in October 2017 when she fainted during a live segment of her show. As Us Weekly reports, though, it wasn’t the first on-screen reveal of personal struggles.
Williams had previously been open with fans about surviving sexual assault, miscarriages, and cocaine addiction. In fact, by the time the host passed out on live TV, she had made something of a brand of being brutally honest about her personal journey through various challenges.
That’s why it was surprising when the star simply blamed the moment on overheating when the emergency commercial break ended. Soon, her show went on an unexpected hiatus, and many observers wondered what was really going on.
In early 2018, Williams revealed the time off was associated with her diagnosis of Graves’ disease. After a period of rest while she adjusted to her medications, the star was back on the air.
Wendy Williams’ marital problems and erratic behavior sparked rumors
Though Wendy Williams has been open about her past challenges and speaks candidly about her Graves’ disease diagnosis, the star is less willing to share certain parts of her life publicly. When reports surfaced that Williams’ husband, Kevin Hunter, had been cheating on her for years, she seemed reluctant to discuss it. After initially claiming she would stand by her man, she eventually revealed she hired a private investigator and discovered a long history of infidelity. She filed for divorce in 2019, and the process was finalized in 2020.
Amid all that drama, Williams was trying to get back on her feet, including launching a new season of her long-running talk show. However, COVID-19 complications delayed the 2021 season. TMZ reported that Williams had asymptomatic COVID-19 but that the real issue was a voluntary admission to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
In addition, her bank, Wells Fargo, froze her accounts, calling the talk show host “incapactitated” and explaining that her former adviser had raised concerns she was of “unsound mind.” A court even assigned Williams a financial guardian.
What’s next for the TV star?
Wendy Williams has had a rocky road for the past several years, and it has taken a toll. The talk show host recently opened up about a lymphedema diagnosis that leaves her with severe swelling and little feeling in her ankles and feet.
Speaking with TMZ Live in June 2022, Williams even held up her foot to show the swelling. She also revealed that she’s “100% retired” from the grind of daily TV filming and that she’s moving on to other projects. Namely, she plans to launch a podcast that’s still in the early planning stages.
Though the star didn’t go so far as to say she’ll never appear on TV again, she has taken a significant step out of the spotlight and appears to be focusing on endeavors that give her more space for her health.
